Urban planning and development
Urban planning = scientific and systematic design of towns and cities.
Goal: balance between population growth, infrastructure, environment, and quality of
life.
Urban development = process of upgrading physical, social, and economic conditions
of urban areas.
Objectives
1. Ensure orderly growth of urban areas.
2. Provide adequate housing, transport, water, and sanitation.
3. Prevent congestion, slums, and haphazard growth.
4. Promote sustainable and eco-friendly cities.
5. Enhance social equity and economic opportunities.
Principles of Urban Planning
Zoning: allocation of land for specific functions.
Connectivity: efficient transport & communication systems.
Mixed Land Use: integration of work, housing, and recreation.
Compact Growth: prevent sprawl, promote vertical growth.
Green Planning: parks, urban forestry, pollution control.
Disaster Resilience: planning for floods, climate change, earthquakes.
Models of Urban Development
• Garden City (Ebenezer Howard): balanced town with greenbelt.
• Concentric Zone Model (Burgess): city expands in rings.
• Sector Model (Hoyt): growth along transport corridors.
• Multiple Nuclei Model (Harris & Ullman): several centers of growth.
• Smart City Model: integration of digital technology with governance.
Challenges
• Overcrowding and congestion.
• Shortage of affordable housing → rise of slums.
• Traffic and pollution.
• Environmental degradation (loss of water bodies, deforestation).
• Inequality in access to resources.
• Weak urban governance, corruption, lack of planning enforcement.
Urban Development in India
• Colonial period: Town Improvement Trusts.
• Post-independence: Delhi Master Plan (1962), city planning bodies.
Recent schemes:
• JNNURM (2005) – infrastructure and governance reforms.
• AMRUT (2015) – basic urban services (water, sewage, roads).
• Smart Cities Mission (2015) – technology-driven development.
• PM Awas Yojana (Urban): affordable housing for all.
Future Directions
• Smart and sustainable urbanism.
• Integration of GIS, AI, Big Data in planning.
• Inclusive cities – focus on slum dwellers, women, migrants.
• Climate-resilient planning – green infrastructure, renewable energy.
1. Garden City Model (Ebenezer Howard)
Ebenezer Howard introduced the Garden City idea in the late 19th century as a solution to
overcrowded and polluted industrial cities. He suggested building small, planned towns
surrounded by a greenbelt of farmland and open space. Each town would have housing,
industry, and public services in balance, with greenery to ensure healthy living conditions.
The goal was to combine the benefits of both rural and urban life
2. Concentric Zone Model (Ernest Burgess)
Burgess explained city growth as a series of rings around a central business district (CBD).
At the center is the downtown area with offices and markets. Around it are zones for
working-class housing, better residential areas, and suburbs on the outermost ring. According
to this model, cities naturally expand outward from the center in circular patterns.
3. Sector Model (Homer Hoyt)
Hoyt argued that cities do not grow in perfect rings but in wedge-shaped sectors along
transport routes such as roads, railways, and rivers. For example, industries might develop
along a railway line, while wealthy housing grows along a major road with good facilities.
This shows that transport plays a major role in shaping city growth.
4. Multiple Nuclei Model (Harris & Ullman)
According to Harris and Ullman, cities develop around multiple centers, not just one central
area. For example, there might be a business district, an industrial hub, a shopping center, and
a residential zone, each acting as a nucleus of growth. This explains how modern cities
become polycentric, with many activity centers spread across different areas.
5. Smart City Model
The Smart City model is a modern approach where digital technology and data are used to
manage city services. This includes smart traffic systems, waste management, renewable
energy, e-governance, and digital connectivity. The goal is to make cities efficient,
sustainable, and inclusive while improving the quality of life for residents.
