As cities across India continue to expand at an unprecedented pace, the question of how to ensure adequate, affordable, and inclusive housing has never been more pressing. Grounded in the understanding that housing is both a human right and a basic need, the executive training on an 'Integrated Approach to Housing under PMAY 2.0' brought together urban professionals to explore the complex challenges of housing and urban infrastructure provision in India.
Housing is a process, not a product
Access to adequate housing remains one of the most persistent issues in rapidly urbanising nations like India. The training encouraged participants to view housing not merely as a physical unit but as a process involving land, infrastructure, services, and social well-being. It introduced the key stages of the Housing Delivery Value Chain from securing land and infrastructure to constructing homes with essential services and suitable materials. The course also highlighted the importance of long-term community viability through integrated social and economic infrastructure.
Frameworks for adequate and inclusive housing
Hosted by IHS in collaboration with TU Delft and international partners, the programme focused on applying the 5 A’s Principles of Adequate Housing, a framework developed by IHS. These five principles - Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, Acceptability and Adaptability - are based on the United Nations’ definition of adequate housing. The 5 A’s serve as a tool for analysing how housing policies are designed, implemented and what outcomes they produce. By learning and using this framework, participants got to better understand and address the complexities involved in achieving housing justice.
Participants explored the four verticals of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U 2.0) framework: 1) Beneficiary-Led Construction, 2) Affordable Housing in Partnership, 3) Affordable Rental Housing and 4) In-situ Slum Redevelopment to assess how integrated approaches can strengthen their implementation. They also examined how effective housing delivery along the value chain depends on aligning seven key components: land, finance, institutions, infrastructure, building materials, construction, and maintenance.
Hands-on learning formed a cornerstone of the training. Field visits to the VINEX social housing project in Ypenburg and the Fascinatio development in Capelle aan den IJssel offered first-hand exposure to Dutch models of social housing, emphasising design quality, community engagement, and long-term liveability. Sessions led by IHS experts, including Maartje van Eerd on Incremental Housing Approaches, Alonso Ayala on Adequate Housing Principles, and Ore Fika on Land-Based Finance Instruments, enriched the dialogue. TU Delft faculty and international partners shared comparative insights into innovative social housing and finance models from around the world.
Learning across borders
A key takeaway from the training was international best practices can provide valuable inspiration, but their success ultimately depends on local governance, financing systems, and socio-political realities. The exchange between Indian urban professionals and international experts fostered a spirit of collaboration and co-learning, reminding participants that effective housing policy is built not in isolation, but through shared understanding and continuous capacity development.
While housing challenges are universal, their solutions must be context-specific.
Closing the gap between knowledge and practice
The training highlighted that achieving adequate housing depends on coordinated action across policies, institutions, and communities, bringing diverse stakeholders together around a shared purpose. By combining conceptual learning with hands-on exposure, participants gained the tools and confidence to design housing interventions that are more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable. The programme also illustrated how integrated, evidence-based, and participatory approaches can transform insights into real-world impact, advancing the vision of Housing for All under PMAY-U 2.0 and laying stronger foundations for equitable urban development.
