Urban Planning in India

Urban Planning in India is slowly but steadily gaining pace. The rapid increase in urban population of India is the result of aggressive industrialization. According to reports, in 2001 the number of people lived in urban India was around 285 million.

In the last 40 years, there has been more than 350% of increment in the urban population and at this rate, the projection is around over 400 million by the end of year 2011 and 533 million by the end of year 2021. Urban Planning in India took a beating during the period from 1991 to 2001 as the number of metropolitan cities increased from 23 to 35. This in turn resulted in the shortage in housing, drinking water supply, sewerage, health care center etc. Further, this had led to increased vehicular traffic, pollution, poverty, and social chaos, thus compromising the main essence of urban life.

Urban Planning in India includes (but is not confined to) the following -

• Town planning
• Regulation of land use for residential and commercial purposes
• Construction of buildings
• Planning for economic development
• Planning for social development
• Construction of roads
• Constructions of bridges
• Water supply for domestic use, industrial and commercial purposes
• Public health care management
• Sewerage, sanitation and solid waste management
• Proper fire services
• Urban forestation and maintenance
• Protection of environment through sustainable development
• Promotion of ecological balance and maintenance
• Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society
• Offering proper infrastructural help to the handicapped and mentally retarded population of the society
• Organized slum improvement

• Phased removal or alleviation of urban poverty
• Increased provision of basic urban facilities like public urinals, subways, footpaths, parks, gardens, and playgrounds
• Increased public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus-stop and public conveyances
• Continual promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects of the environment
• Increased number of burials, burial grounds, cremation grounds and electric crematoria
• Proper regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries
• Absolute prevention of / zero tolerance of cruelty to animals
• Proper maintenance of population statistics, including registration of births and deaths records

Urban Planning in India functions through mechanisms called Urban Local Bodies or ULBs. These Urban Local Bodies are classified into four major categories -

• Municipal corporations,
• Municipalities (Municipal council, municipal board, municipal committee)
• Town area committees
• Notified area committees

In the year 1991, there were around 3255 Urban Local Bodies in the country. These Urban Local Bodies are responsible for providing and overseeing the maintenance of basic urban infrastructure and services in cities and other relevant areas.

Last updated on 4/28/2011