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Urbanization, threats, impact and steps…

The impact of high rate of population growth in India is

endangering its natural habitat. The land area requirement to

sustain current levels of resource consumption & waste

discharge by the population in the current situation leads

towards over shooting. Let’s discuss about personal ecological

footprint.

My carbon footprint: - 26.7 gha. Country average: - 2.0 gha.

My food footprint: - 2.75 gha. Country average: - 1.96 gha.

Housing footprint: - 0.7 gha. Country average: - 0.94 gha.

Service footprint: - 3.34 gha. Country average: - 1.76 gha.

If everyone on the planet lived my life style, we would need

2.10 earths. To minimize the carbon and ecological footprint

we should maintain sustainable life style to fight with the

global crisis so let’s discuss about the capital city of India.

DELHI…the capital and the most fashionable city of India.

Preamble:-

“I asked my soul, what is Delhi?” She replied: “The world is the body and Delhi is the soul”.

Asadullah Khan Ghalib (19th

century poet)

The environs of Delhi, are the graveyards of the generation past where an empire rose and fell before

the dawn of history; where citadels of emperors appeared and disappeared; a city of mysterious eternity

whose old ruins proclaim a majestic and imperial past and whose present pulsates vibrantly with the

ever flowing life of India. The eternal Jamuna bears witness to the glorious and tumultuous 5000 year

old history of Delhi, a history which begins with the creation of Indraprastha by the Pandavas. And stand

as an iconic city for a developing country like India in today’s world.

The major problem of every city is the migration of people from rural to urban area to fulfill their ever

expanding needs which ultimately forms a megacity and Delhi will be the best example.

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Statistics:-

Delhi is geographically located in the Northern part of India at 28.38 N latitude and

77.12 E longitudes and at a height of 211 meters above sea level.

It is encircled by Uttar Pradesh in the east and by Haryana in the other three sides.

It is ideally located to reach North Indian states like Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar

Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

Climate of the Capital of India is of extreme type. Hot and dry in the summer with a

temperature range of 25 C to 46 C and Winters are cold with a average temperature

range of 2 C to 5 C. The cold waves from the Great Himalayan range makes winters

very chilly.

Spring is the best time to visit Delhi i.e. February to April and August to November.

The average annual rain fall is about 700mm.

� Total area – 1483 sq. km

� Population – 15.9 million

� Density – 9340/ sq. km

Metropoli

tan region

Administrat

ive city

Inner city(10

km radius)

Peak

density

1227 9340 19636 96460

� Sex ratio – 821 female / 1000 male

� Literacy rate – 87.37%

� Per capita income in 2000-01 – Rs. 38864

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Evolution:-

� The mughal period 1638-1803.

� The period of east India Company 1803-1857.

� The British period 1857-1947.

� The post independence period 1947 onwards.

Delhi which is believed to be consisted of 8 cities i.e. Indraprastha, Lal

Kot, Siri, Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah, Ferozabad and Shajahanabad. New

Delhi evolved much later in 1920s with the formal announcement to

move the seat of power from Calcutta to Delhi by the British East India Company.

It occupies a very unique geopolitical place within India. It is both the capital city of the country as well

as one of India’s states.

It is part of the National Council Territory or the NCT, comprising Delhi, Delhi Cantonment and New

Delhi. While Delhi had been a historic capital of many kingdoms, the last of these being that of the great

Mughals, New Delhi was constructed by the British to house government buildings when the British

decided to shift their capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911. New Delhi lies six kilometers south of the

older city, now known as Old Delhi (the walled city).

Old Delhi:-

The former imperial avenue connecting

the Red Fort and the Fatehpuri mosque

portrays the dismal picture of

congestion; chaotic traffic represents a

slum area of old Delhi.

New Delhi:-

We have the prestigious and pretentious

official New Delhi (the city of garden),

the harmonious design, with tree lined

avenues, circular plazas, radial lines

which is an obvious contradiction to the walled city.

Delhi as a whole:-

Delhi’s metropolitan area is known as the National Capital Region or NCR. This includes the entire Delhi

region, as well as the satellite townships of Delhi namely Faridabad and Gurgaon in the adjoining state

of Haryana and Noida and Ghaziabad in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh.

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Delhi has always been an important cultural, intellectual

and trade centre. A first-timer in the city would find it a

melting pot of sorts with a bewildering variety and

diversity of culture, religion, and people and of course

food. This is partly because Delhi has been home to many

kingdoms for thousands of years. The other factor

contributing to the variety of Delhi is its strategic location

between the Aravali hills on two sides and river Yamuna

on the third, with lots of fertile land, which attracted the

attention of every conqueror worth his mettle. The city is

said to have demolished and rebuild over seven times by

different rulers. The remains of these cities exist even today!

Delhi urban planning:-

To craft a future that reaches into a golden age, citizens need to be rooted in a city where serenity,

tranquility and security are nurtured, for it is these qualities that fuel and generate the conditions, the

freedom, to create. The maintenance of urban stability is founded on the simple philosophy of order and

organization.

The process of urban Planning in Delhi is continuing from the 17th

century with the evolution of

Shajahanabad. First major expansion of Delhi was by the Britishers in the second decade of Twentieth

Century when they planned it to make the national capital of India. And the second major expansion of

Urban Delhi was the result of partition of the county in 1947. With a huge number of refugees and

migrants Delhi became a city of opportunities and availabilities.

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Urban threats:-

Expected inhabitants in 2021 – 23 million (13.4 million in 2009)

Safe potable water required – 1150 million gallons (650 is the current supply)

Raw sewerage – 920 million gallons (512 is the current figure)

Electricity requirement – 6450 mega watts (2350 is the current supply)

Solid waste – 10200 tons per day (5550 tons per day now)

New house requirements – around 10 lakhs (currently 1 lakh shortage)

Monuments to be preserved – more than 1500

Critical Issues:-

The critical issues those affect the process or module of urban planning in the NCT of Delhi are:-

1. Large population growth.

Population growth of urban agglomerations:-

1950 2007 2020

1,369,369 16,671,894 23,705,710

2. Rising unemployment 3. Limited land.

4. Rapidly rising land value. 5. Gap between demand and supply.

6. Deterioration of environment (pollution). 7. Increasing traffic congestion.

8. Increasing unplanned growth. 9. Housing shortage.

10. Lack of conservation of heritage. 11.Land use violations.

12. Gap between planning and implementation.

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Life of Delhi:-

Land Use Pattern:-

Classification Area in Hect. (1999-2000)

Total area available as per village record 147488

Forests 1078

Area not available for cultivation 72994

Other uncultivated land excluding follow land 10720

Follow-land 7428

Net area sown 41385

Total cropped area 60885

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Population Distribution by Settlement Type:-

Type of Settlement Population

(million)

Population

(% of total)

Tenure Poverty

JJ Clusters

(squatters settlements)

2.07 14.84 Illegal High

Resettlement Colonies 1.78 12.72 Legal High

Unauthorized Colonies (non

regularized)

0.74 5.3 Semi Legal Mixed

Regularized Unauthorized

Colonies

1.78 12.72 Legal Mixed

Slum designated Areas 2.66 19.08 Legal Mixed

Rural Villages 0.74 5.3 Legal Low

Urban Villages 0.89 6.36 Legal Mixed

Planned Colonies 3.31 23.69 Legal Low

Total Population 13.96 100

Migrants – Classified by place of last residence:-

Place of last residence Migrants to Delhi in 1981-

91 (%)

Migrants to Delhi in 1991-2001

(%)

Uttar Pradesh 48.25 40.05

Haryana 11.51 7.87

Bihar 10.69 19.09

Uttarakhand - 5.11

Rajasthan 6.00 4.06

Punjab 5.28 2.16

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West Bengal 2.72 3.88

Madhya Pradesh 2.64 1.82

Others 12.91 15.96

Financial, economic and political condition:-

Connaught place is one of northern India's largest commercial and financial centers are located in the

central part of Delhi. The growth in urbanization leads the city growth rate double by creating more

surrounding suburbs like Gurgaon, Noida, and Dwaraka at its periphery. The metropolis has a net state

domestic product (SDP) of Rs.83.085 crores (for the year 2004-05)and a per capita income of Rs.53.976.

political pressure is the most dominant head in every respect as the capital city which gives a healthy

impact in urbanization.

Transportation:-

The Delhi Master Plan-2021 speaks of the major projects

which should ease the traffic situation in Delhi. These projects

include the Integrated Multi-Model Transport System – the

Metro Rail, Ring Rail, High-Capacity Bus System and BRT

Corridor system.

Public transport system:-

Green bus service:-

Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and privately owned

blue line buses constitute the current bus system. It is most

commonly used and more than 60% commuters use it. Currently there are 46000 buses on Delhi roads

which are running by compressed natural gas (CNG) to minimize the air pollution.

BRT corridor:-

First corridor of Bus

Rapid Transit (BRT) is

now open which helps

in fast transportation of

public.

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Metro rail:-

Delhi metro is the most important of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS). The first phase is already

complete with some 90+ kilometers.

Other means of Public Transport:-

Regional rail Network in Delhi railways consists of trains going to the neighboring states. Taxis and autos

also cater to the mobility need of general public.

Vehicular growth:-

category No. of

vehicles(in lac)

1995-96

No. of

vehicles(in lac)

2005-06

Decennial

growth rate %

(95-96 to 2005-

06)

Annual

compound

growth rate %

Private vehicles

Four wheelers 6.34 14.72 132.18 8.66

Two wheelers 17.41 30.79 76.85 5.41

Sub total 23.75 45.51 91.62 6.2

Commercial Vehicles

Auto Rickshaw 0.79 0.74 (-)6.33 (-)1.39

Taxis 0.14 0.21 50.00 1.93

Buses 0.28 0.44 57.14 3.63

Goods Vehicles,

Tractor

1.34 1.33 (-)00.75 (-)01.71

Sub-total 2.55 2.72 6.67 0.06

Total 26.30 48.30** 83.65 5.84

*Including light passenger vehicle and medium passenger vehicles.

** Including ambulances and other unidentified vehicles.

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Residential use:-

City has less number of high rise residential units having maximum of 30 floors in the central region but

due to population growth there are many high rise buildings are coming up these days in the suburbs of

the city.

Old Delhi is congested due to unplanned residential unit’s lack of ventilation, drainage systems, roads,

open spaces, parking lots, electricity, and water supply.

Squatting is an outcome of the surge of poor people towards the city in search of livelihood due to

inability of govt. to meet their needs.

Commercial use:-

Mostly the commercial development are placed all over the city to meet the need of people where as

the most important and congenial hub of the city the Connaught place(CBD) is highly dense place with

traffic congestion, pollution and lack of amenities ought to be redesigned.

Mixed Land Use:-

The Delhi Master Plan-2021 has indicated a more liberal mixed land use in the city which clearly states

that “non-residential activity on residential premises should be permitted selectively and carefully taking

into consideration community needs, environmental impact and provision for safe and easy traffic

parking”. The final plan has, however allowed increased floor area ratio (FAR) – that is more floors and

construction on all plots including residential, schools and all other educational institutions, hospitals,

nursing homes and even industrial plots.

Open Space:-

For the first time DDA and MCD will develop multi-purpose parks. They will be developed exclusively for

functions and marriages in response to the paucity of venues in the city.

The MPD 2021 states that 15% of the total urban area should be recreational areas or parks excluding

ridges. All local body or land owning agency will be required to formulate special development plans for

the area concerned. Under this plan big and polluting industries will be shifted out of the capital and

only high technology industries will be retained.

Historical Monuments:-

There are many historical monuments in and around Delhi like Qutub Minar, Red Fort, Jantar Mantar,

Humayun’s Tomb, Old Fort, Birla Temple, Jama Masjid, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan etc.

Connought Place and Chandni Chowk have their own special importance whenever we talk about Delhi.

These were developed during the British Period.

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Prime importance of city development:-

Commonwealth Games 2010:-

‘See You in Delhi’, was the message that the Indian contingent had for the world during the closing

ceremony of 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. In 2010, India is going to become the second

developing nation ever, to host the Commonwealth Games (CWG), the third largest multi-sport event in

the world. New Delhi, which has earlier played host to the 1982 Asian Games, is preparing itself to

amaze the world. The games have the ability to transform the city’s urban landscape.

The work ahead of the games can be broadly grouped into the following:

1. New Stadiums and renovation of existing stadiums.

2. Games Village.

3. Transport sector.

4. Urban infrastructure like water and electricity.

5. Efforts to make Delhi ‘World-Class’.

Sector Changes caused by Commonwealth Games

Transportation The transportation system is changed by an improved

infrastructure and new concepts of public transportation.

Telecommunication

System

A high standard in telecommunications is another important

location factor to keep existing, or attract new enterprises. In this

sector CWG bring the latest technology into the city to satisfy the

demand in telecommunication services during the CWG. After the

games, the systems remain existent.

Sports Facility CWG have the strongest influence on the sports facilities structure

in the city. There will be adequate and sufficient sports and training

facilities for all sports at an international level. After the games,

these facilities are often available for leisure sports.

Housing Games villages are newly constructed. The question of the social

distribution of the newly created housing units is reviewed.

Urban Culture The general embellishment of a city, an improved transportation

system, additional leisure time facilities and numerous ecological

projects frequently lead to a revival of the city centre by improving

the ‘city atmosphere’.

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Redevelopment:-

The metropolitan city-centre (Connaught circus) is to be redefined to match global standards. The MPD

has placed in heritage zones the following areas: walled city of Delhi, Shahjahanabad, Lutyen’s Bunglow

Zone, Nizammuddin and Humayun’s tomb complex, Mehrauli area, Vijay Chowk, Shahji-Lal Gumbad and

Chirag Delhi.In addition, three archeological parks are being developed at Mehrauli, Tughlaqabad and

Sultan Garhi.

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Micro level study of Connaught place:-

Strategic planning of urban city to accommodate more population in less are, to introduce a perpetual

quality-living for urban civilization is a tempting endeavor in this fast running world. Today, we live in an

incredible age of ever changing possibilities and innovations to tackle it. So making Connaught Place, a

better place to live is the challenge and there could be more than one ways to achieve it. Let’s try some

solutions…….

Today:-

The so called CP (Connaught place) is one of the largest financial,

commercial and business centers in Delhi surrounded by high rise

and low rise buildings having headquarters of several Indian

firms, offices, shopping spaces.

History:-

Connaught place was

designed by Robert tor

Rossell after the duke of

Connaught in the year

1929 -1933 following the

model of the circus in Bath and Park crescent in London featuring the central business district of lutyen’s

Delhi.

Evolution:-

It was originally designed as a self contained shopping

complex in lower floor and residential accommodation in

upper level surrounded by large bungalows with amidst

parks, lawns and open green spaces. Over the years with

the urban

growth of New

Delhi it is

treated as the central hub in the heart of the city.

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Location and urban structure:-

The central business district of Delhi is

placed in the heart of the city having two

circle namely inner circus which has eight

radial branches connecting to the outer

circus which has twelve radial branches

connecting to other parts of the city and a

centrally located amidst green space create

a focal point and the planned radial pattern

in the central part of Delhi.

The central park and the other radial green

space are placed over the underground

metro station and houses one of India's first

underground shopping complex.

The high rise downtown CP is surrounded by

many high rise commercial spaces with underground as well as elevated parking spaces make the place

livelier with heavy traffic flow.

Urban issues:-

Today it is one of the most vital business district of Delhi with many urban threats to the human

civilization such as population explosion, rampant commercialization, unauthorized construction, and

dispute over property rights, encroachments,

haphazard development, willful neglect by the

authority, traffic congestion, air pollution. This

leads towards a state of misery which is

unbearable for a developing city.

Westernized shopping arcades having

nondescript architecture, abruptly placement of

high rise buildings in the nodes, junction,

congested small shops in the inner circle and the

street hawkers all around, converting it into a

mess. Public amenities are mostly in poor condition. Extensive parking lots are created all along the rings

as well as the radial roads to fulfill the demands. Power as well as internet and telephone cables are laid

open which damage the building facade.

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Revitalization initiatives:-

Redevelopment of Connaught place has been a matter of concern since early seventies.

Positive Steps:-

Pedestrianization, Parking reassessment, Reorganization of bus routes, Provision of sub ways, Creation

of multi-level parking

Present scenario:-

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Urban design guide lines:-

Detailed sustainable urban design and landscape schemes to be implemented to integrate metro

stations, pedestrian walk ways, bi-cycle track, parking areas.

Intermediate public transport such as battery operated vehicles, tram, sky buses should provide to

minimize the pollution level and to facilitate the transportation within the city center.

Other amenities such as open air theater, amusement parks, open green space, establishment of street

furniture ought to be provided to make the place more livable after the working hours.

Use of alternate renewable resources to fulfill the energy demand to make the city sustainable.

The envelope and the FAR should be redesigned to make the space more better for sustainable live in.

Issues of redevelopment:-

Movement:-

Pedestrian movement: - most vulnerable part of the urbanization is the lack of space for pedestrian

movement, around 20,000 people work and 10,000 people visit every day the place. No proper

demarcated pedestrian lane for safe movement is present.

Vehicular movement:-60% of vehicular traffic

of the city passes through it due to its

geographic location and 40% for its destination;

hence the vehicular movement should be

restricted in some particular zones to secure the

place from traffic congestion.

Parking: - There are 4250 ECS as the

designated parking space, out of this 1060 is

underground and 3190 is ground parking where

as nearly 1200 ECS are parked on unauthorized

spaces.

Visual aesthetic:-

It has already been declared as heritage piece to make that past neo-architectural style alive, but due to

lack of care it is in a dilapidated state.

Environment impact:-

Due to dense traffic flow to the area, the space becomes vulnerable to noise and air pollution.

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Energy demand:-

Due to shortage in electricity, water supply and renewable energy the congenial space lost its

sustainability.

Objectives of redevelopment:-

� Movement

� Visual experience

� Environmental improvement

� Infrastructure

� Conservation

� Civic concern

Densification study:-

Proposed area - 367434.75 m²/.36 km²

Open green space - 206552 m² (60%)

Road (movement) - 15%

Built up area - 66710 m² (18%)

Others - 12%

Building mixed use :- (high rise)

Have a view of the existing as well as the future

population growth we need 10 lakhs of housing units

which can be designed with 15 floors, 20 floors and 25

floors with respect to the population growth.

Floor area calculation: -

25 floors of 32 Small units – 31408 m²x 25 = 785200 m²

25 floors of 8 mid units – 16000 m²x 25 = 400000 m²

25 floors of 4 large units – 19302 m²x 25 = 482550 m²

Total floor area – 41693750 m²

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Commercial (lower floors):- 10423437.5 m²

Residential: -

� 1 BHK unit – 5211718.7 m²

Per family (5 people) - 50 m²

Population - 521171

No. of units – 104234.3

� 2 BHK unit – 20846875 m²

Per family (5 people) - 100 m²

Population - 1042343

No. of units – 208468.75

� 3 BHK unit – 5211718.7m²

Per family (5 people) - 150 m²

Population - 173723

No. of units – 34744.7

Total number of housing units –

347446

Total population - 1737237

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Advantages:-

Cohesive and revitalizing role in urban cores, as center of radial activities and catalyst of financial

interests.

House huge number of people in a relatively small site.

Reduce travelling distances when working and living spaces are in the same or nearby buildings.

Provide wide shadows and guided wind flow in the surroundings.

The upper floors are further from noise and air pollution than the lower levels.

Generate clean energy using solar power due to extensive surfaces exposed to sun and wind power.

Disadvantages:-

The most frustrating part is lack of outdoor space to breath.

Huge consumption of energy in construction.

Total dependence on vertical circulation.

Environmental approach:-

Incorporate natural features as vertical greenery, vegetation and water.

Use of local and recycled materials.

Generate clean energy from renewable sources like sun and wind.

Design codes, urban policies and Ideas for sustainable development:-

Historical importance, architectural heritage, quality of past life, process of natural evolution, cultural

values are some of the important urban features creating obstruction in sustainable development of

human habitat.

Without affecting these significant qualities of the urban space, through a holistic approach we can plan

environment friendly design for betterment of the human civilization.

To minimize ecological as well as carbon footprint of people, the ingenuity and skills is required to

perform at its best.

The sustainable tall building having low energy consumption, clean energy generation with bio-climatic

architecture ought to be implemented.

By minimizing carbon emission and balancing between energy, emissions and facilities we can create a

sustainable city.

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Mixed land use should be planned to avoid travelling to distant places.

Sustainable neighborhood design with both residential and commercial use may leads towards a better

environment.

Sustainable transportation system should incorporate for encouragement of the inhabitants to walk or

ride bicycle to avoid pollution.

Sensitive building design with flexibility to climate may develop.

Use of renewable energy in building design.

By using the down draught evaporative cooling system instead of air conditioning, generate electricity

through solar panels, use of wind catcher and wind turbine ,we can create an environmentally

sustainable city.

The urban fabric is studied as purely spatial, physical formation that is shaped exclusively by building by

laws and regulation.

The bureau of energy efficiency India is working to reduce the energy consumption in the country and

promote energy efficiency policies and strategies.

Bibliography:

1. www.delhitourism.com

2. ‘Urban water crisis in Delhi’ by A. Maria

3. Delhi Master Plan 2021: Delhi development Authority, 2007

4. ‘The impact of Commonwealth Games 2010 on Urban Planning of Delhi’ by Vinayak Uppal

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Delhi

6. Delhiplanning.nic.in/Economic%20survey/es%202005-06/chat/12.pdf

7. http://www.urban-age.net/10_cities/_data/data_mumbai.html

8. Chandani chowk redevelopment by Abhimanyu Dalal.pdf

9. Urban design byEngineers India ltd.

10. Building bylaw NEW DELHI.pdf

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11. Delhi urban environment and infrastructure improvement project (DUEIIP)

Books :

1. Environmentally Friendly Cities by Eduardo Maldonaldo and Simos Yannas Pg. No. 56- 57

2. Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate change by Sue Roaf, David Crinchton, Fergus Nicol.

3. Makin delhi a better place : promoting a vision urban renaissance by Boniface Gregory

Fernandes