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Rengasamy
Madurai Institute of Social Sciences
S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Town Planning
My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Content
Urban India Legislative frame work for urban planning
Box: How India’s Urban Settlements are Challenges in urban planning for local bodies in
administered India
Town Panchayats / Municipalities / Corporations
Box: Problems of Urban Local Bodies [ULBs]
Box: Basic Feature and Pattern of India's
Box: The rationale to use Town Planning:
Urbanization
Table: No of towns and percentage of urban Advantages
population by size class Long history
Table: Million Plus Cities in India Democratic and participatory:
Box: Town Panchayats (Nagar Palikas) in India – Fair
The case of Tamilnadu Respects property
Box: Municipal Administration in India: The case of Non-coercive and non-authoritarian
Tamilnadu Win-win proposition
Box: Some Definitions
Transparent
Box: Town Planning Explanations & Definitions
Tested in law courts
Box: If town planning is not there
Box: Planning –Definitions Making development pay for the cost of
Obstacles identified in the optimum development of infrastructure
urban centers Box: Limitations of Town Planning
Social and economic aims of town planning Lengthy time frames
Box: Components of town planning Inadequate attention to substantial issues
Box: Basics of Town Planning No asset management framework is in place
Meaning and Components of Town Planning Centralized processes
Box: Urban Facts
Disconnect with the city budgeting process
Characteristics of successful Town Planning
Box: Potentials of Town Planning
Civic Design
Urban Planning TPS as an infrastructure financing tool
Picture: Growth of a city TPS as a tool to introduce innovative planning
Box: Objectives of Town Planning concepts
Box: Background factors and problems in TPS as a tool to build accurate maps and land
Town Planning records for the city
Individual control of small parcels of urban land Box: Rural Urban Relationship
Arbitrary political boundaries Box: Responsibilities assigned to Rural local
Irregularity of the environmental site government 11th schedule-243G
Heritage of past construction Box: Responsibilities assigned Urban local
Anticipation of future change
government 12th schedule- 243w
Methods of Town Planning:
Issues in Urban Planning
Major aspects of the master plan
General land use pattern The Master plan Approach – Concepts,
Table: Percentage of land use Objectives and Functions
Spatial locations for various functions The functions of the Master Plan / Development
Pic: Contrasting Urban Scenario plan
Industrial location Critique of the Master Plan Approach 16 Points
Commercial location Modifications suggested in Master Plan 17
Residential location; Points
Streets and transportation facilities
Urban planning education
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Urban India
In India out of the total population of 1027 million as on 1st March, 2001, about 742 million live in rural areas
and 285 million in urban areas. The net addition of population in rural areas during 1991-2001 has been to
the tune of 113 million while in urban areas it is 6 million. The percentage decadal growth of population in
rural and urban areas during the decade is 17.9 and 31.2 percent respectively.
The percentage of urban population to the total population of the country stands at 27.8. The percentage of
urban population to total population in the 1991 Census (including interpolated population of Jammu &
Kashmir where Census could not be conducted in 1991) was 25.7 percent. Thus, there has been an increase
on 2.1 percentage points in the proportion of urban population in the country during 1991 – 2001
Level of Urbanization
Population of India urban Class Population Size No.of
Persons Males Females Towns
Total 102,70,15247 53,12,77078 49,57,38169 27.8% Class I 1,00,000 & above 393
Rural 74,16,60293 38,11,41184 36,05,19109 Class II 50,000 - 99,999 401
Urban 28,53,54954 15,01,35894 13,52,19060 Class III 20,000 - 49,999 1,151
Class IV 10,000 - 19,999 1,344
Among all the States and Union territories, the National Class V 5,000 - 9,999 888
Capital Territory of Delhi is most urbanized with 93 percent Class VI Less than 5,000 191
urban population followed by Union territory of Chandigarh Unclassified 10*
(89.8 percent) and Pondicherry (66.6 percent). All classes 4378
Among the major States, Tamil Nadu is the most urbanized
state with 43.9 percent of the population living in urban areas followed by Maharashtra (42.4 percent) and
Gujarat (37.4 percent). The proportion of urban population is the lowest in Himachal Pradesh with 9.8%
followed by Bihar with 10.5 percent, Assam (12.7 percent) and Orissa (14.9 percent).
In terms of absolute number of persons living in urban areas, Maharashtra leads with 41 million persons
which is 14 percent of the total population of the country. Uttar Pradesh accounts for about 35 million
followed by Tamil Nadu 27 million.
The number of towns and cities have increased to 4378, as detailed in the above table:
The number of metropolitan cities having million plus population has increased to 35 as per 2001 census. The
names of such cities are given in the following table:
Indian Cities having million (+) Population in 2001
Rank Urban Population Rank Urban Population
Agglomeration/City (Lakhs) Agglomeration/City (Lakhs)
1 Greater Mumbai 163.7 18 Coimbatore 14.5
2 Kolkata 132.2 19 Ludhiana 14.0
3 Delhi 127.9 20 Kochi 13.5
4 Chennai 64.2 21 Visakhapatnam 13.3
5 Bangalore 56.9 22 Agra 13.2
6 Hyderabad 55.3 23 Varanasi 12.1
7 Ahmedabad 45.2 24 Madurai 11.9
8 Pune 37.5 25 Meerut 11.7
9 Surat 28.1 26 Nashik 11.5
10 Kanpur 26.9 27 Jabalpur 11.2
11 Jaipur 23.2 28 Jamshedpur 11.0
12 Lucknow 22.7 29 Asansol 10.9
13 Nagpur 21.2 30 Dhanbad 10.6
14 Patna 17.1 31 Faridabad 10.5
15 Indore 16.4 32 Allahabad 10.5
16 Vadodara 14.9 33 Amritsar 10.1
17 Bhopal 14.5 34 Vijaywada 10.1
Rajkot 10.0
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
After the 74th Amendment was enacted there are only three categories of Urban Local Bodies:
1.Nagar Panchayat (Town Panchayat) 2.Nagar Palika (Municipality) 3.Nagar Nigam
(Municipal Corporation)
Nagar Panchayat have a chairman with ward members. It consists of a minimum of 10 elected ward
members and three nominated members.
The members of the Nagar Palika are elected representatives for a term of five years. The town is divided
into wards according to its population and representatives are elected from each ward. The members elect
a president among themselves to preside over and conduct meetings. A chief officer, along with officers
like an engineer, sanitary inspector, health officer and education officer who come from the state public
service are appointed by the state government to control the administrative affairs of the Nagar Palika.
Municipal Corporation / Nagar Nigam
Nagar Nigams a.k.a (Municipal Corporations) in India are state government formed departments that
works for the development of a city, which has a population of more than 1 Million. The growing
population and urbanization in various cities of India were in need of a local governing body that can work
for providing necessary community services like health centers, educational institutes and housing and
property tax.
They are formed under the Corporations Act of 1835 of Panchayati Raj system which mainly deals in
providing essential services in every small town as well as village of a district/city. Their elections are held
once in five year and the people choose the candidates. The largest corporations are in the four
metropolitan cities of India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta and Chennai. These cities not only have a
large population, but are also the administrative as well as commercial centers of the country.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Tamil Nadu is the first State to have introduced a classification in the status of local bodies as ‘Town
Panchayat’, which was planned as a transitional body between Rural and Urban Local Bodies.
The Town Panchayats were conferred with individual administrative powers and unique functional
characters have been in existence for over a century. The Town Panchayats adopt well devised
accounting and auditing procedures and the service delivery to the public has been better.
Town Panchayats are under the administrative control Municipal Administration and Water Supply
Department, at Govt. level.
The Town Panchayats are places of importance such as Division / Taluk headquarters, Tourist
Spots, Pilgrim Centers and Commercial/Industrial towns. This has necessitated special attention to
the civic needs of the Town Panchayats.
District Municipalities Act
The Town Panchayats are governed by Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act 1920. There are 561
Town Panchayats in the state which are classified into four grades, based on the income criteria:
Grade No of TP Income Criteria
Special Grade 13 Above Rs. 20 Lakhs
Selection Grade 245 Above Rs. 16 Lakhs
Grade I 221 Above Rs. 8 Lakhs
Grade II 32 Above Rs. 4 Lakhs
Total 561
Town Panchayats Administration
Executive Officer is the Executive authority of the Town Panchayat. He is assisted by Head Clerk,
Junior Assistant, Bill Collector, Typist for the maintenance of records, Collection of taxes,
maintenance of assets and in ensuring the publicity and propaganda and in implementation of
Government Programmes.
Functions of Town Panchayats
The Town Panchayats are responsible in delivery of the following civic services:
• Providing Basic Amenities
o Roads Street Lights Water Supply Public Health Drainage
• Granting of Building Licenses
• Levying of Taxes
o Property Tax Vacant Land Tax Profession Tax Non Tax Water Charges
• Issuing Birth & Death Certificates
• Issuing Dangerous & Offensive Trade Licenses
• Implementation of State / Central Schemes
Sources of Revenue of Town Panchayats
The revenue of the Town Panchayats is derived from the sources as below:
§ Property Tax Professional Tax License Fees, Rents and other charges such as water charges
§ Surcharge on Stamp duty Devolution grants from the Government
§ Other miscellaneous incomes such as interest on deposits
Programs /Schemes in Town Panchayats
1. Anaithu Peruratchi Anna Marumalarchi Thittam 2. Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for
Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) 3. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission 4.
Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) & Basic Service 5. Part II Schemes
6. Infrastructure gap filling fund 7. Solid Waste Management 8. 12th Finance Commission Grants
9. Swarna Jayanthi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) 10. Supply of Computers and Soft wares 11.
Human Resources Development
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Municipal Corporations in TN
1. Chennai Corporation
2. Madurai Corporation
3. Coimbatore Corporation
4. Salem Corporation
5. Trichy Corporation
6. Tirunelveli Corporation
7. Erode Corporation
8. Tiruppur Corporation
9. Vellore Corporation
10.Thoothukudi Corporation
SOME DEFINITIONS
Urban. Settlements or localities defined as “urban” by national statistical agencies.
Urbanization. The process of transition from a rural to a more urban society. Statistically,
urbanization reflects an increasing proportion of the population living in settlements defined as
urban, primarily through net rural to urban migration. The level of urbanization is the percentage of
the total population living in towns and cities while the rate of urbanization is the rate at which it
grows.
Urban growth. The increase in the number of people who live in towns and cities, measured either
in relative or absolute terms.
Natural increase. The difference between the number of births and number of deaths in a given
population.
The urban transition. The passage from a predominantly rural to a predominantly urban society.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Urban, city / town planning is the integration of the disciplines of land use planning and transport planning, to
explore a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and
communities. Regional planning deals with a still larger environment, at a less detailed level- Wikipedia
Town planning means determining and drawing up plans for the future physical arrangement and condition of a
community
Town planning means the physical, social and economic planning of an urban environment (such as a town)
Urban planning is a mixture of science and art. It encompasses many different disciplines and brings them all
under a single umbrella. The simplest definition of urban planning is that it is the organization of all elements of a
town or other urban environment. However, when one thinks about all the elements that make up a town,
urban planning suddenly seems complicated - and it is.
Town planning includes village planning, town planning, city planning, metropolitan planning, regional planning
and national physical planning. This wider aspect is ignored and town planning became synonymous with plan
for streets, houses and civic amenities.
In its actual practice town planning may seem to take away the land of somebody, deprive somebody of building
a house, or place restrictions on the number of storey to built etc.
The new emerging concept of City Development Plan (CDP) is an action plan for equitable growth in a city,
developed and sustained through public participation to improve the quality of life for all citizens. ‘A City
Development Plan (CDP) is both a perspective and a vision for the future development of a city. It presents the
current stage of the city’s development – where is the city now? It sets out the directions of change – where
does the city want to go? It identifies the thrust areas — what does the city need to address on a priority basis?
It also suggests alternative routes, strategies, and interventions for bringing about the change – what
interventions should be made in order to attain the vision? It provides a framework and vision within which
projects need to be identified and implemented. It establishes a logical and consistent framework for evaluation
of investment decisions. The basic framework outlining the methodology for preparation of CDPs is given in
The CDP is therefore the crucial link that weaves together the three basic elements of the mission - namely
integrated development of infrastructure, basic services for the poor and adoption of urban sector reforms, into
an integrated whole. It lays the foundation from which would follow DPRs not only for the mission period but
also for the near future (say next decade or so). The quality of the CDP, therefore, is one of the most imperative
links on which the success of the mission would depend. It may also be used by the city to promote itself to
potential investors.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Planning Is...
Planning defined:
"Planning" means the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with
a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural
communities.
Responsible planning has always been vital to the sustainability of safe, healthy, and secure urban environments.
Canada's population is growing and, with more people migrating from rural to urban areas, the planning
profession must increasingly deal with urbanization issues, such as:
1. Conversion of land from natural habitats to urban built areas, 2. Maintenance and use of natural resources
and habitats, 3. Development of transportation related infrastructure, 4.Ensuring environmental protection.
Not only do planners deal with land use, but also:
1. Planning social and community services, 3. Managing cultural and heritage resources,
2. Creating economic capacity in local communities, 4.Addressing transportation and infrastructure,
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Urban Facts
The year 2007 marks the first time in the history of mankind when the number of people residing
in cities has overtaken those staying in villages. India's 300 million city dwellers contribute a
significant one-tenth of the world's urban population.
Some facts garnered from the study by Urban Age were that Greater Mumbai has a density
of 27,348 people packed in each square kilometer, as against Kolkata's 24,454, Bangalore's
19,040 and Delhi's 9,340. In its 'peak density' area, Mumbai can boast, or bemoan, 101,066
people packed in a single square kilometer - more than any other of the nine cities globally
included in this study.
Yet, as she houses 12 million inhabitants in an area half the size of Berlin, less than half of
Greater Mumbai is covered by built-up land and infrastructure. The greater half includes a
national park and open areas, coastal wetlands, mangroves, agricultural land and even beaches.
Population growth in India's urban areas has been no less dramatic. Between 1950, 2007 and
2020 (projected), Mumbai has ballooned from 2.8 million to 18.9 million and will touch 23.9
million. Some believe it could cross Tokyo as the most populated city globally. Delhi has zoomed
from 1.4 million to 16.6 million to reach 23.7 million and Kolkata from 4.5 million to 14.8 million
and 18.7 million. Bangalore's growth moved from .7 million to 6.9 million at present and is
estimated to touch 9.5 million by 2020.
Keeping these projections in mind, Mumbai and Delhi would be among the most populous
in the world by 2020, followed by Mexico City (22.1 million), New York (20.3 million),
Kolkata (18.7 million), and Shanghai (18.4 million).
Compounding Greater Mumbai's extremely high population is traffic congestion, loss of wetlands,
flooding and critical housing issues. Delhi's problems are said to arise from a rapid population
growth and large unplanned urbanization. Besides this, add stretched-out infrastructure,
unaffordable housing, growing slums, traffic congestion and "significant ecological degradation".
Kolkata's bowl of woes includes the loss of city wetlands, frequent floods, traffic congestion,
inadequate infrastructure and pollution. The Garden City Bangalore ails from rapid urbanization,
pollution, waste disposal and sewerage and sanitation problems, loss of its tree cover, and high
traffic congestion.
Coming to city commutation, around 55.5 percent Mumbaites walk, 21.9 percent go by train, 14.4
percent opt for the bus, and only 1.6 percent takes their car. Rickshaw and taxi, two-wheelers
and cycles are used by only a small number of people. Surprisingly, Mumbai has the lowest level
of car ownership with 29 cars per 1,000 residents, a stark contrast to Mexico City's 383. Kolkata
and Bangalore have the highest number of cars per kilometer among Indian cities. With 1,421
cars per kilometer, Kolkata's car density beats even than of Berlin.
Someone living in Mumbai has a life expectancy of 68.1 years as against 79.2 years in London or
75.9 years in Mexico City. Looking at the brighter side of life, Indian cities have relatively low
murder rates, similar to London and Shanghai.
The principal of good neighborliness—the right to do what they like with their property subject to
the limitation that their action should not be harmful, either to themselves or to the neighborhood—
This neighborliness recognizes the need for planning legislation.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
In the beginning civic designs through planning provided colour and texture of the fabric of
environment. With the gradual diffusion of ownership of land, such planning has given place to
building codes and legislative measures to assemble diffused ownership as a unified whole
amenable for development/redevelopment
Good neighborliness and civic design form the warp and resource allocation the weft of the fabric of
planning. Planning legislation will then the loom on which the fabric is woven and the administration
the salesman.
Urban Planning
Ø Control within the city
Ø Urban planning refers to those activities by which a metropolis systematically undertakes to
control its spatial functional pattern
Growth of a City
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Wholesale
Stores Retail
Storage and switching facility
Light
Factorie Heavy
s
Private land use
Nuisance
Low
Residences
Medium
High
Parks
Playgrounds
Public Land Use Civic centers
Roads
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Percentage of land utilized by various functions exhibited considerable regularity and that suggests
that urban planners may employ them as rough guidelines in apportioning percentages urban land
to various categories of utilization
An ideal master plan places every sub area of a city in a location so related to every other, thereby
Ø The total cost of moving men and material from place to place is minimized.
Ø Safety and beauty are maximized.
Ø Constructive social contracts are streamlined.
Even though a planner must begin with the existing pattern, he has numerous divisions to make
regarding future changes.
1. What additional industrial sites will be required and where should they be located?
2. What changes should be made in the number and size of commercial areas?
3. What existing residential areas should be altered in type or grade?
4. How much additional vacant space will be needed for residences and where?
5. What provisions should be made in various areas for playgrounds, parks, public and semi
public places?
Contrasting Urban Scenario
Industrial location
Where –near the central business district?
Along lines of transportation?
At periphery or near by hinterland?
Care has to be taken to
1. Prevent loss of property values by wrongly intermixing industries and residences.
2. Clustering of independent industries
3. To provide heavy transportation services to industries
4. To prepare for the expansion and migration of industries within the city it self
Commercial location
What? –Major shopping and luxury goods.
Shopping goods and convenience goods.
Parking facility
Commercial areas for each residential area.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Residential location;
The other functions performed by these locations should be taken care of. ie. Education, Worship
and Recreation.
Streets and transportation facilities;
The major function of urban transportation is that of connecting one area with another area, so that
men and materials can move with greater safety and at less cost
Railroads
. Bus line
Facilities which link city with Truck line
hinterland and foreign areas Private vehicles
Air lines
Wire, Cables, Radio & TV
Local streets
Water pipes
Facilities which link various parts Sewers
of the city Telephone & power lines
Rail lines
Types:
Multi purpose main highways
High speed expressways
By-pass routes
Streets Neighborhood streets
Scenic parkways
Three aspects of effective street use;
Ø Traffic counts and calculation of street requirement
Ø Elimination of bottle necks and dangerous intersections.
Ø Special high & speed express ways and by-pass routes.
City Beautification;
Federal Buildings
Architecture State Buildings
Parks
Slum Elimination
Modification of built up area Preplanned peripheral areas
**The urban planner’s task is not confined to only “preparing and carrying out a plan for the use
and development of land. It also includes giving present and future generation a chance of
satisfying living.
**The initial period of planning was cast within the concept of “city beautiful” syndrome largely
arising out of the concerns of the professional architects. Urban planning then was synonymous
with the physical development of the urban centers.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
**Urban planning profession gained legitimacy through various statutory provisions concerning
the preparation of master plans and the institutionalization planning as a govt. activity. The famous
triad of beauty, health and convenience defined the planner’s task.
**There is a growing school of thought in the west that views the structure of the city including its
land use and activity patterns, as the result of capital in pursuit of profit. Planning in this
framework is considered “as a historically specific and socially necessary response to the self
disorganizing tendencies of privatized capitalist, social and the property relations as they appear in
the urban space.
Zoning;
Zoning is the division of community in to different zones or districts according to present and
potential use of properties for the purpose of controlling and directing the use and development of
these properties. It is concerned primarily with the use of land and buildings, the height and bulk
of the buildings, proportion of a lot which buildings may cover, and the diversity of the population
of the given area. Zoning is an instrument of of plan implementation, deals primarily with use and
development of privately owned land and buildings rather than with public land buildings and
facilities.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
In India out of the total population of 1027 million as on 1st March, 2001, about 742 million live in rural areas
and 285 million in urban areas. The net addition of population in rural areas during 1991-2001 has been to
the tune of 113 million while in urban areas it is 6 million. The percentage decadal growth of population in
rural and urban areas during the decade is 17.9 and 31.2 percent respectively. As a result, most urban
settlements are characterized by shortfalls in housing and water supply, inadequate sewerage, traffic
congestion, pollution, poverty and social unrest making urban governance a difficult task.
Importantly the CAA74 expressly recognizes a role for the ULBs within the constitutional framework and
provides for devolution of financial powers from the state government for strengthening of municipal
finances. The CAA74 also provides for constitution of Ward Committees in municipalities with a population of
more than 3 lakh, Metropolitan Planning Committees and District Planning Committees for consolidation and
preparation of plans of spatial, economic and social development. From a "top down” approach, the emphasis
has thus shifted to the" bottom up" approach.
In view of the challenges facing by ULBs the planners have to prepare themselves for a new role and much
wider responsibilities. As a bridge between the civil society and the politico-economic structure, the planners
have to perform the role of the catalysts of change. With the ongoing globalization, economic liberalization
and devolution of power to local bodies, gone are the days of armchair professionals. In the context of
decentralization of power from Central / State Governments to local levels, there is a clear need to strengthen
the Urban Local Bodies and endowing them with the finances, commensurate with their assigned
responsibility. The experience indicates that the first and foremost priority should be to strengthen the local
bodies and improve their performances that have the primary responsibility to provide urban services.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
Urban planning is basically resource generation, resource development and resource management
exercise. The efficiency of urban settlements largely depends upon how well they are planned, how
economically they are developed and how efficiently they are managed. Planning inputs largely
govern the efficiency level of human settlements. There is a widely held view that the Master
planning methods adopted over the last few decades have not produced a satisfactory physical
environment. The urban development planning process in the past has been unduly long and has been
largely confined to the detailing of land use aspects. The plans have paid inadequate attention to the
provision of trunk infrastructure, environmental conservation and financing issues. They have been
unrealistic and have not been accompanied by investment programs and capital budgets. Integrated
urban development planning approach, taking into account regional, state and national strategies, and
spatial, functional and other linkages between human settlements, has not been given much
recognition.
The major criticisms of the Master Plan approach adopted in the country are as follows:
1. Plan Preparation Techniques:
The Master plan details out the urbanized and urbanisable areas under its jurisdiction and suggests
land use up to the neighborhood level. The tendency to over-plan the urban environment, with
minute detailing, has resulted in lack of flexibility and has hindered individual self-expression.
2. Plan perspective:
The plan projects and ’end state’ scenario for 20-25 years and is not detailed enough for short and
medium-terms actions.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
3. Static Plan:
The plan is mostly static and not amendable to quick mid-course corrections.
4. Delays:
Inordinate delays in Master Plan preparation and approval and, in addition, difficulty in obtaining
possession of land sought to be acquired for the purpose is one of the main handicaps in the speedy
and successful implementation of the Master Plan.
5. Growth of the City:
The efficacy of the master Plan is adversely effected by the divergence between the precept and
practices concerning the preparation of the Master Plan and its implementation.
6. Ineffective Public Participation:
The mechanism for public participation is ineffective in the process of development planning, in both
its preparation and implementation. It is more top-down than a bottom-up approach.
7. Weak information Base:
Master Plan preparation is undertaken with a very weak information base especially on socio-
economic parameters, housing and environment.
8. Impractical Physical standards:
The plans prescribe impractical densities and layout high standards in an effort to improve the
quality of life in a city. These are generally higher than what the city population, particularly the
poor, can afford.
9. Lack of Financing Plan:
Estimates of financial outlay do not match the development works envisaged in the Master Plan. The
strategies for raising resources required for plan implementation are never an integral part of the
plan.
10. Spatial Planning vis-à-vis Development Planning:
Urban planning in India has been totally over-shadowed by its spatial content instead of realization
of social and economic objectives. Town planning exercises have tended to concentrate on physical
order and environmental quality of city, and have been isolated from the mainstream of development
planning, decision-making and implementation strategies.
11. Land Policy and Management:
The absence of machinery for systematic and continuous collection of data on the movement of land
and tenement prices undermines the implementation of the master Plan.
12. Private Sector Participation:
Through a significant portion of the development is due to the initiative of the private sector, this
factor is not recognized in the Plan.
13. People’s Needs:
The Master Plan does not incorporate the exact needs and priorities of the people. Instead of
reflecting the aspirations of the community at large, the plan more or less reflects the values of the
administrators and planners.
14. Regulatory mechanism:
The regulatory mechanisms in the Master Plan are to enable better management of the city.
However, development control mechanisms are observed more in breach than in compliance.
15. Plan Implementation:
The root-cause of the urban maladies has been the divorcing of the plan preparation from plan
implementation.
16. Ineffective plan Monitoring:
An Institutional and information system does not, generally, exist for plan monitoring. Since the
budgetary system does not explicitly take into account the requirement of plan implementation,
problem of resources are not periodically highlighted.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
For a more dynamic urban planning exercise, the following modifications in the planning approach
are recommended:
i.Flexibility: Plans must have flexibility to provide for ever-growing and ever-expanding city
boundaries and provide quality of life to all inhabitants. The plan should be flexible to respond
not only to the present needs but, also, the changing conditions in foreseeable, future.
ii.Role of Actors: People’s participation in preparation of policies, perspective plan, development
plan and annual plans should be ensured through elected representatives in the municipal
council / corporation and ward committees.
iii.Information system: A well maintained information system can make possible the fine-tuning of
the plan proposals at the various stages of implementation of the plan according to the changing
urban scenario.
iv.Urbanisable Areas: The development potential may be assessed for the areas located in the
periphery of the developed areas. A profile of the development potential and the possibility of
optimizing the existing infrastructure should determine the prioritization of development of
these areas.
v.Growth Centers: Given the paucity of resources, it would be more feasible and desirable to
promote strategic development initiatives in the selected secondary cities, growth center and
their hinterlands. In the growth centers, the location of infrastructural and environmental
services could form the ‘core’ of the Development Plan.
vi.Policy Guidelines: Policy guidelines notified under law, can help in identifying priority areas,
subsequent modifications in the plans and administration, in general.
vii.Mixed Land Use: With a view to provide for development, the zoning regulations need to be
simplified. The land use package should not be allowed to be changed by any authority, except
as a part of the review of the Development Plan at the city / town level.
viii.Financial Planning: Land development and infrastructure investment need to be coordinated
through integration of physical, financial and investment planning. There is the need to link
spatial development plan with resource mobilization plan focusing on credit enhancement
mechanisms.
ix.Services and Environment: City plans which provide for up-gradation of the services for greater
equity in the availability of water, sewerage and sanitation throughout the city, would have a
higher probability of success.
x.Needs of the informal sector: The plan must provide for and cater to the needs of the informal
sector so as to make them as an integral part of the city development process.
xi.Land Policy and Management: As opposed to the process of compulsory land acquisition, and
the related issue of low compensation rates, the ULBs should adopt collaborative approaches
within the existing legal framework.
xii.Legal Framework: Plan implementation would call for a legal framework so as to make it
enforceable and mandatory. The legal framework has to be supported by an effective and
efficient machinery which would see that no distortion of master plan proposals take place at
the ground level.
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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning
xiii.Standards: Plot sizes, layout and social overheads need to be designed to reduce costs aligned to
the affordability of different income groups and also the sale price for lower income groups can
be reduced by differential pricing.
xiv.Building Bye-laws: Building bye laws and zoning regulations for the city / town should match the
local needs. However, the existing bye-laws need to be simplified and transparent, and there
should not be an aliment of discretion. Adequate provision for parking facilities should be
made.
xv.Database at Metropolitan, district and state levels: The planning exercise need continuous data
collection, analysis interpretation and updating of data. A computer-generated data base and
information system in GIS environment should be developed at various levels which would
provide support to planners in development planning.
xvi.Simplification of measure and Procedures: The preparation of Development plans should be
completed within a period of 12 months and should be approved within 3 months after the plan
approval and the total period for preparation and approval should not exceed 18 months. The
approval authority of Development plans should be the ULB, in consultation with the Director
of Town planning departments. The perspective plan could also be approved by the state
Government through Directorate of Town Planning.
xvii.Strengthening Planning Mechanism and Institution: The Town and Country planning acts
need to be modified to enable the formulation of inter-elated plans by specifying the definition,
scope and contents of various plans.
The administrative, technical, managerial and financial capacities of the ULBs need to be
strengthened.
The ULBs and the town planning departments should work under the same state department for
better coordination.
The cost recovery procedures and revenue collection methods of ULBs need to be strengthened
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