Urbanization in India

Abstract

In terms of population size, the urban agglomerations of India are the second-largest in the world, ranking behind only China. The Indian urban population has steadily increased since independence with an urban growth rate (31.8%) that is higher than the average population growth rate (17.64%). Industrialization, planned development and globalization are the major factors that induced urban development in India. The urban population undergoes the natural increase expected of any population and this increase is further augmented by in-migration. The lopsided growth of the urban population has resulted in a “top-heavy” urban system where Class-I cities and million-plus cities, which are crowded to begin with, are getting even more crowded instead of this population increase being distributed across other cities and towns. The level of urbanization is uneven among the states and UTs with even intra-state variations. The census data are considered a reliable source of information yet recent studies show that the urban population is underestimated in India. Given the persistent growth of the population in urban areas, slums are one of the major problems of urban India. The housing problem will further deteriorate the slums unless intensive measures are taken to upgrade the living conditions of the slum dwellers. The first chapter insists on a detailed study on slums and their problems so that they will be included in city planning and urges for sustainable measures to prevent the future formation of slums.