Planning Allahabad: British legacies and the future of smart urbanism

This study examines the influence of British colonial architecture and urban planning in Allahabad, highlighting how British rule reshaped the city's built environment. Focusing on key structures such as the Allahabad High Court, Allahabad Museum, British Residency, and Civil Lines, the research explores how colonial ideals of order, authority, and cultural dominance were materialized in architectural forms and spatial planning. The introduction of grid-pattern planning, Indo-Saracenic and Gothic Revival styles, and the functional design of public buildings underscored the British aim to impose administrative control while adapting to the local climate and context. The segregation embedded in Civil Lines further reflects the socio-political hierarchies of the colonial era. Through these architectural and urban developments, Allahabad emerged as a strategic administrative and cultural hub during British rule.