New Delhi, April 7 -- On a February evening, global pop sensation Ed Sheeran picked up his guitar for an impromptu performance on Church Street in Bengaluru. As the crowd sang along to Shape of You, the moment felt electric - until police abruptly shut it down. Permission, they said, had not been granted. That even a superstar couldn't busk freely underscored a fundamental issue: Indian cities have yet to embrace street performances as part of urban life.

Experts said that the incident highlighted not only a cultural issue, but reflected on the broader gaps in urban planning where cities overlook the street's potential as a dynamic space for community engagement and artistic expression.

This is also in contrast to cities across the worl...