The pandemic, more than anything has explicitly exposed how inhospitable cities can be to the vulnerable sections of the population. It has thrown open the deep rootedness of inequalities that cities in India constitute. Uncertainty and risk further exacerbate these deeply ingrained divisions. Poor urban planning continues to contribute to widening socio-economic inequality among urban populations. But every catastrophe has also been followed by transformational changes. It is said that historically, diseases have shaped cities. Equitable cities need evidence led planning, balancing multiple demands of social, ecological, and economic vulnerabilities, engendering cities and cultivating a conscious environment of transparency in governance and planning. In this conversation, we will discuss how we can take this opportunity to focus on building equitable cities, making them more inclusive and fixing the existing imbalances.