Assessing Interlinkages Between Sustainable Urbanization and Economic Inequality Using an Integrated AHP-DEMATEL-TOPSIS Approach

This research is an analysis of the relationship between sustainable urbanization and economic inequality through smart city initiatives in developing countries such as India. Rapid urbanization in developing countries tends to have a detrimental impact on socioeconomic inequalities, and the effort to build smart cities may inadvertently increase exclusion when it is not planned with inclusiveness in mind. To reach this goal, an integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach using a combination of AHP, TOPSIS, and DEMATEL is adopted to systematically identify, assess, and identify the key criteria that affect the inclusive urban development. This study’s results show that infrastructure, governance, digital accessibility, and social inclusion play a key role in mitigating urban disparities and facilitating sustainable development. In particular, good governance and the availability of equitable digital infrastructure appear to be one of the critical factors in the reduction in inequalities and long-term urban resilience. This research provides policy-oriented insights for policymakers in designing inclusive smart city policies in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as theoretical contributions to urban sustainability research.