ABSTRACT
Urban municipal corporations are responsible for metropolitan planning and design, making it a bureaucratic exercise that is more often than not concentrated on showcase sites: airport murals, metro stations, or highly frequented public spots. It is they who control and decide the placement of facilities and infrastructure and oversee city landscapes, finally determining balance between functionality and aesthetics. In contrast, rural areas mirrored the importance people attached to design and colour. It could take the form of simple symbols on doorways, like a small red swastika, or more complex floral or geometrical patterns freshly drawn with powdered rice and colours on thresholds of houses, or more elaborate depictions on the walls of homes to depict and attract auspiciousness. Clearly, the immense flow of migrants into cities, and the massive demographic increases raise problems on a large scale of providing decent housing, not to speak of promoting a sensation of well-being in an urban environment that can be harsh and alienating.
