The growth of new urban centres in colonial India was closely linked to British political, military, and commercial interests. Cities such as Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bombay (now Mumbai), and Madras (now Chennai) expanded as port capitals and administrative hubs, while cantonments and civil lines developed alongside older Indian towns such as Delhi, Lahore, and Bangalore. These centres reflected the priorities of colonial governance rather than indigenous urban needs.

British town planning introduced new features based on European ideas of sanitation, order, and control. Wide roads, drainage systems, fortified areas, and monumental public buildings became defining elements of colonial architecture. However, these improvements were unevenly applied. The well-planned ‘White Towns,’ cantonments, and civil lines received better services, while the densely populated ‘Black Towns’ inhabited by Indians suffered from neglect, overcrowding, and poor sanitation. Architecture thus became a visible symbol of racial and social hierarchy.

Urban society under colonial rule was complex and gradually evolving. While early cities showed clear segregation; over time, suburbs emerged where wealthy Indians and Europeans lived in closer proximity. Indian merchants and elites, especially in Bombay, gained influence in municipal politics and contributed to a shared public sphere. Nevertheless, the majority of urban residents—industrial workers and migrants—lived in precarious conditions.

Urban problems intensified with rapid population growth, industrialisation, and epidemics such as plague. Improvement Trusts aimed to address congestion and sanitation but often worsened conditions by demolishing slums without providing affordable housing. As a result, colonial urban planning left a mixed legacy of architectural grandeur alongside deep social and spatial inequalities.