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INTRODUCTION
Cities are urban complex systems serving the needs of their citizens. They are diverse, vibrant, resourceful,
and efficient. Cities are magnets attracting people with different aspirations. They are experiencing a major
shift of populations from rural to urban areas, with 60% of the population now residing in urban areas .
[1]
The main reason for this trend is the abundance of employment opportunities and resources available in the
[2]
cities. By 2050, the population living in cities is expected to be two-thirds of the world’s population . The
functioning of the city is attributed to its administrative, legal, historical, social, economic, and cultural
[3]
mechanisms . Ultimately, cities have to meet the needs of people with dignity, safety, and security. Cities
have evolved in their form and composition with the ever-changing needs and experiences of their users.
The vision for the development of cities has become more crucial and challenging than before. Spatial
planning of cities involves the process of social, economic, and environmental mechanisms to influence the
[4]
distribution and coordination of population and activities in spaces . It establishes a framework for landuse
management, density management, the location of future areas for various functions, and the location and
type of large investment projects, along with enhancement and protection of nature and the environment .
[5]
Spatial planning seeks to modify the functions, management, and arrangements of cities and regions, and it
plays a distinguished role in alleviating disaster risk reduction (DRR) . It is not a sporadic activity but a
[6]
dynamic process administered by local governments. Spatial planning charts out a course of actions for
reducing the vulnerability of populations in the given circumstances and in optimal ways . The purpose of
[7]
spatial planning is to organize the spaces for the efficient and safe functioning of the city with the help of
policies and practices. Spatial planning of the cities is vital in maintaining the safety of the cities . Cities
[8]
[9]
manifest challenges to human settlement, and their being does not guarantee sustainable development .
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 recommends “making cities and human settlements inclusive,
safe, resilient and sustainable”.

DRR of cities is important for enhancing the quality of life of the citizens. Furthermore, the performance of
the governance mechanisms and civic services become more efficient in better planned cities. Spatial
planning manipulates the development pattern and DRR with its two key instruments: Development Plan
and Development Control Rules. The local administration needs to seek the integration of spatial planning
[10]
and DRR processes to integrate the safety of human society with risks posed by disasters . The urban fabric
is a complex socio-technical system that encompasses different scales - buildings, building stocks,
neighborhoods, cities, and regions - each with different time constants, actors, and institutional regimes .
[11]
Cities are becoming more vulnerable to disaster risks merely due to their physical environments, population
density, and built footprint . It is challenging for cities to maintain a balance between the high growth and
[12]
development and DRR, especially considering the probability and exposure to hazards and climate change
impacts. Every city is exposed to different types of disasters; mitigation measures differ as per the local
[13]
conditions. There is no single formula for risk reduction which a city can adopt . Moreover, DRR is an
agenda of local governments and communities. Maintaining the landuse, enforcing building regulations,
and providing critical infrastructure and services are responsibilities of the local government . There is a
[14]
[15]
need for cities to get smarter with innovative solutions to enhance livability and self-reliance . DRR in
[16]
cities is an outcome of conscious spatial planning .
Different concepts of city development have been experimented with over centuries, and new ones are
evolving in a continuous process . “Smart Cities” is one such concept aiming to better the quality of life for
[17]
their citizens. The concept of the smart city was to develop settlements for people to live, work, earn, have
easy access to educational and health facilities, and exchange ideas, aiming to provide a better quality of
life . A formal definition stated by Mohanty (2020) is that “A smart sustainable city is an innovative city
[18]
that uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) and other means to improve quality of life,