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S.

Rengasamy
Madurai Institute of Social Sciences
S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

Town Planning

No urban area will prosper unless it attracts those


who can choose to live wherever they wish.

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

How India’s Urban Settlements are administered

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)

Town Panchayat - Nagar Panchayat


A Town Panchayat (Nagar Panchayat) is a form of an urban body in India comparable to a
Municipality.A town panchayat means an urban centre with more than 30,000 and less than 100,000
inhabitants is classified as a Nagar Panchayat. However, there are some exceptions. All the previous Town
Area Committees (Urban centers with a total population of more than 5,000 and less than 20,000) are
reclassified as Nagar Panchayat.

Nagar Panchayat have a chairman with ward members. It consists of a minimum of 10 elected ward
members and three nominated members.

Municipality / Nagar Palika


In India a Nagar Palika, / Municipality is a Urban Local Body that administers a city of population 200,000
or less. Under the Panchayati Raj system, it interacts directly with the state government, though it is
administratively part of the district it is located in. Generally smaller district cities and bigger towns have a
Nagar Palika.

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.

Basic Feature and Pattern of India's Urbanization


Basic feature of urbanization in India can be highlighted as:
1 Lopsided urbanization induces growth of class I cities
2 Urbanization occurs without industrialization and strong economic base
3 Urbanization is mainly a product of demographic explosion and poverty
induced rural - urban migration.
4 Rapid urbanization leads to massive growth of slum followed by misery,
poverty, unemployment, exploitation, inequalities, degradation in the
quality of urban life.
5 Urbanization occurs not due to urban pull but due to rural push.
6 Poor quality of rural-urban migration leads to poor quality of
Urbanization (Bhagat,1992).
7 Distress migration initiates urban decay

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

To get more details visit: http://www.tn.gov.in/dtp/

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 / Urban Administration in Tamilnadu


The Municipalities in Tamilnadu are classified into five grades based on the annual income /population. under the
Tamil Nadu Municipalities (Norms for Classification of Municipalities) Rules2008.,. The current status of the ULBs
is given in the table
Grade Annual Income (Rs. In No. of
crores) Municipalities
Special Grade Above 10.00 20
Selection Grade 6.00 - 10.00 29
Grade I 4.00 - 6.00 29
Grade II Below 4.00 21
Grade III Population exceeding 30000 49
Total 148

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

TOWN PLANNING EXPLANATIONS:

Town Planning - Definitions


City planning is a process of planning for the improvement of urban centers in order to provide healthy and safe
living conditions, efficient transport and communication, adequate public facilities, and aesthetic surroundings.
Planning that also includes outlying communities and highways is termed regional planning.Columbia Encyclopedia

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.

If town planning is not there


1. Industries may spring up with less regard to social convenience and before roads are built
2. Houses may be constructed and occupied even before water supply and drainage facilities are provided
3. Schools may be located in total disregard of the population which uses that school
4. Roads may be widened without long lasting effect.

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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,

Obstacles identified in the optimum development of urban centers:


1. High percentage of undeveloped or vacant land within the corporate limit.
2. Unbalanced, competing and deleterious use of land.
3. Lack of common facilities like transportation system, housing, water supply, sanitation and
adequate open spaces etc.
4. Lack of strong and wide economic space.
5. Uncontrolled peripheral development.
6. High cost of land and development further aggravated by the speculative element.

Other obstacles noted:


1. Agglomeration in large size towns of both industry and other work opportunities thus attracting
larger population movements towards them.
2. Lack of incentives and resources for small towns to develop; most of them being overgrown
villages at present with a sizeable percentage of working force engaged in agriculture.
3. Because of the low economic level of the migrant labour, generally unskilled, creation of slums
in urban areas.
4. Because of the low literacy and economic level, the social characteristics of migrant population
tend to be incompatible with urban ways of life.

Social and economic aims town planning;


1. Socially successful planning tends to make people’s life happier, because it results in physical
environment which is conducive to health; facilitates social intercourse and gives visual
attractiveness
2. It increases wealth, by efficiently arranging communication routes to carry out human activities
in a more efficient and less wasteful manner through proper spatial arrangement.

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

Basics of Urban Planning

Urban Planning Basics


The goal of planning is to guide the development of a city or town so that it furthers the welfare
of its current and future residents by creating convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient and
attractive environments. Most urban planners work in existing communities, but some help
develop communities -- known as new towns, new cities or planned communities -- from
scratch. Either way, urban planners must consider three key aspects of a city as they map out
their programs:
The physical environment: A city's physical environment includes its location, its climate and
its proximity to sources of food and water. Because drinking water is so crucial, many cities are
founded at the head of a river or at the fall line, the point where rivers descend from the
regions of older, harder rocks toward the softer sediments of the coastal plain. The rapids that
often form at the fall line mark ideal locations for towns and villages to evolve. Coastal cities
also have a great advantage in that their accessibility positions them to become important
trading centers.
Coastal cities, enjoy certain advantages by having access to the ocean. They also face certain
challenges, including exposure to hurricanes.
The social environment: The social environment includes the groups to which a city's
residents belong, the neighborhoods in which they live, the organization of its workplaces, and
the policies created to impose order. One of the biggest issues in most cities is the inequitable
distribution of resources. For example, more than 50 percent of the population of Mumbai and
New Delhi (cities in India) live in slums, while in Lagos and Nairobi (cities in Africa), more than
60 percent of households aren't connected to water [source: United Nations Human Settlements
Program]. As a result, the social environment can be a risk factor for disease and mortality as
much as individual risk factors.
Planners work with local authorities to make sure residents are not excluded from the benefits
of urbanization as a result of physical, social or economic barriers.
The economic environment: All cities work hard to support the retention and expansion of
existing local businesses. Primary employers, such as manufacturing as well as research and
development companies, retail businesses, universities, federal labs, local government, cultural
institutions, and departments of tourism all play strong roles in a city's economy. The programs
of an urban planner should encourage partnerships among public agencies, private companies
and nonprofit organizations; foster innovation and competitiveness; provide development
opportunities and resources to small businesses; and nurture, preserve and promote local arts
and creative industries in order to sustain a city's cultural vitality.
As you can imagine, urban planners must do a great deal of research and analysis to fully
understand how the physical, social and economic aspects of a city interact. Before they ever
put pen to paper, they study:
* The current use of land for residential, business and community purposes
* The locations and capacity of streets, highways, airports, water and sewer

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

Meaning and Components of Town Planning;


Town and country planning might be described as the art and science of ordering the use of land and
the character and siting of buildings and communication routes, so as to secure the maximum
practicable degree of economy, convenience and beauty.

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.

Characteristics of successful Town Planning;


Ø Promotion of accessibility
Ø Employment of resources as economically as possible
Ø The separation of incompatible land uses from each other and association of compatible or
mutually helpful uses.
Ø Carrying out of all developments in a visually pleasant and practical manner

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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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

At macro level—a tool for appropriate assembly of land as optimal planning


units
Civic design
At micro level—detailed design of the buildings as well as their spatial
relationship

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

300 years before 150 years before Today

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Background factors and problems in Town Planning


Some important factors that complicate the tasks of planning for a metropolis are discussed under 5
headings
Ø Individual control of small parcels of urban land.
Ø Arbitrary political boundaries.
Ø Irregularity of environmental sites.
Ø Heritage of past construction.
Ø Anticipation of future change

1. Individual control of small parcels of urban land:


Within the city both govt. and private citizens own parts of land area. Private Citizens own 55% & govt.
owns about 45% of the urban land (i.e. public—streets, parks, play grounds & govt. buildings). Private
ownership (i.e. Residences, stores, factories, commercial, recreation)
Why municipal legislation is necessary to control the undesirable consequences of private ownership of
small parcels of urban land
1. A owner may build a store or factory in an residential area thereby decreasing the value of nearby
houses.
2. In a deteriorated urban neighborhood, remodeling of old houses or to build a new one depends upon
the neighbors willingness ie. Ready to do the same
3. A owner who owns single strategic plot may either block a development effort or may delay it by
demanding a price considerably higher than the ordinary market value.
(So municipal regulation is necessary to control this)

2. Arbitrary political boundaries;


An adequate urban plan covers not only the built up area of the city but also such parts of the unoccupied
hinterland as need to be controlled in order to secure both orderly future growth of the metropolis and
reasonable protection of its residences. Lack of control over the peripheral land may result in
Ø During a real estate boom, private owners in various sub divisions may break up tracts of farm land
into town sized building plots. Such sub dividing activity distorts local land values and interferes with
ordinary urban growth.
Ø Houses built in unzoned area, may later surrounded by cheaply constructed homes or hedged in by
objectionable factories and other buildings.
Traditional political boundaries make difficult, the control of haphazard urban growth in the unincorporated
fringe area of the metropolis.

3. Irregularity of the environmental site:


Every urban site has its own unique features
Ø Underlying soil and terrain conditions has different advantages and disadvantages for various kinds
of buildings.
Ø Topography affects the routes of transportation. Transportation in turn influences the location of
factories, stores and residences.
Ø Breaks transportation eg. Land to water vice versa.
Ø Some parts of the city provide better amenities than other eg. Beach—exceptional view.

4. Heritage of past construction:


Town planning activity may be limited or modified by the heritage of past construction.
Unfortunately, the heritage of the past does not always satisfy contemporary needs.
Eg. Narrow streets were enough for horse and buggy days. Cannot handle the huge volume of today’s
motor traffic. Factories once properly located finds themselves surrounded by residences.
Cost factor inhibits remodeling of the built up area e.g. widening of the narrow streets
So the urban planners leave this condition as it is and effect changes slowly.

5. Anticipation of future change:


Emergence of real estate mafias and increasing the land value not affordable for the poor and middle
class

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Methods of Town Planning:


Major aspects of the master plan:
The master plan deals with the natural city as a whole. It offers a broad picture of the projected
spatial pattern..
Three aspects of the master plan are:-
1. City beautification as emphasized by the architects.
2. Transportation and safety as stressed by the engineers
3. Land use pattern as emphasized by economists, geographers and human ecologists.

General land use pattern;


Planning for effective land use within the city involves decisions about;
Ø The various types of utilization that requires distinctive sub areas.
Ø The percentage of total occupied space that should be apportioned to each types and grade
of utilization.
Ø The proper location for each type of functional area.

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

Percentage of land use;


(Bartholeama study)
Occupied urban space was split among various functions as follows
Residences Average
(Single family: 36%, Two family: 2%, ultiple:1%) 39 % 27-59 %
Stores & other commercial Utilization 2% 01-04 %
Industry 6% 03-11 %
Rail roads 5% 03- 08 %
Streets 34 % 21-59 %
Parks & play grounds 6% 01-19 %
Other public and semi- Public facilities 8% 01-15%
**The percentage may vary according to the function performed by the city

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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

Urban planning education;


**As the urban societies grew more complex, the responsibilities of urban planners whose task is
to guide the changing urban area, becomes ominous.

**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.

**Three major orientations in urban planning –


1. Traditional role of physical development;
2. Analyst role of understanding the complex socio-economic urban system;
3. Advocate role of working with and for the people, particularly the poor.

Legislative frame work for urban planning:


Whether state legislations are competent to make a town planning law? (Maneklal & Makwana ).
The answer is “Yes”.
Array of legislations relating to town planning & development.
Municipal Acts.
Improve Trusts Act.
Development Authority Act.---------------------- acts created
Slum Clearance and Authority Act.--------------- for some
Housing Board Acts.-------------------------------- special
Peripheral / Ribbon Development Control Act. purpose
Water Supply & Sewerage Boards Acts.
Pollution Acts.
Urban Land Ceiling Acts.
Urban Arts Commission Acts.

Town Planning in Tamilnadu;


Tamilnadu Town and Country Planning Act.1971, provisions to prepare hierarchy of development
plans at three different levels.
Ø Regional plans.
Ø Urban (Master) Plans.
Ø Local (Detailed Development ) Plans
Tamilnadu is divided in to eight panning regions-ie. Regional planning areas.
District Collector –Chairmen
Regional Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning.—Member Secretary.
They graft plans after wide public discussion.

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

CHALLENGES IN URBAN PLANNING FOR LOCAL BODIES IN 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. 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.

The Constitutional Amendment Act 74


The CAA74 mandates compulsory reconstitution of municipal bodies within a stipulated time frame, thus
ensuring continuity of local representatives. The twelfth schedule of the CAA74 has listed 18 functions and
responsibilities to local bodies.

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.

Problems of Urban Local Bodies [ULBs]


Urban Local Bodies [ULBs] which are statutorily responsible for provision and maintenance of basic
infrastructure and services in cities and towns are under fiscal stress.
To even operate and maintain existing services, let alone augment them, would be difficult.
There has been little or no increase in their revenue base;
user charges continue to be low or non-existent. ULBs are becoming increasingly dependent on the
higher levels of government for their operation and maintenance requirements.
Many ULBs have accumulated ‘large’ debts and face serious problems in servicing them.
Other problems
Restriction to a small resource base poor planning process, lack of periodical revision of municipal tax
rates / user charges, and poor information system and records management are some of the basic
weaknesses in the present municipal administration.

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

The rationale to use Town Planning: Advantages


• Long history: The process has a long history—it was introduced in 1915 by legislation, and since then
the legislation has been continuously improved to make the process more responsive to the changing
context of development.
• Democratic and participatory: The process is democratic and participatory, with a built-in
mechanism for dispute resolution—the landowners are involved in the process of planning and have ample
opportunity to present their views on the proposals and place on record their objections.
• Fair: The process is fair, as all owners loose the same proportion of land.
• Equitable and inclusive development: The process facilitates equitable and inclusive development;
a portion of land is appropriated for accommodating urban poor.
• Respects property rights and is non-disruptive: The process respects property rights and is non-
disruptive; the landowners are not thrown off their lands and are given a better-shaped land parcel,
usually very close to the original land parcel.
• Non-coercive and non-authoritarian: The process is non-coercive and non-authoritarian; the
proposals are reviewed at several stages that are formally prescribed in the act.
• Win-win proposition: The process has been a “win-win” proposition for both the landowners and the
planning agencies—both gain from the appreciation in the land values
• Transparent: The process is transparent: it is very clearly described in legislation, planners have
mastered it, and people understand and accept it.
• Tested in law courts: It is tested in law courts; it has been challenged in law courts and has withstood
the challenges successfully.
• Making development pay for the cost of infrastructure: The cost of infrastructure is in a sense
paid for by the owners directly, and the planning agency and development authority is not required to
make huge investments up-front.

Limitations of Town Planning


Despite the TPS mechanism being well articulated and widely accepted, there are a few shortcomings,
which result in the growth not being managed in time, renewal of areas, although possible, becomes
difficult and development occurs before the provision of infrastructure in some instances. The following are
a few of the limitations:
• Lengthy time frames: The timelines proposed in the regulatory framework-four years—are far too
long. The State Government actually takes much longer to approve the various stages. The TPSs thus take
far too long to prepare and implement. These time frames were determined when computerization was
nonexistent, communication technologies were cumbersome, and there was virtually no private sector in
place to assist the public sector. In view of changes in technology, the timelines can be easily reduced.
• Inadequate attention to substantial issues: Substantial issues are dealt with in an inadequate
manner. These need to be supported by preparing manuals and guidelines.
• No asset management framework is in place: The significant land assets generated by the local
authority are not managed in an appropriate manner. Most local authorities or development authorities do
not even have a comprehensive list of all such land assets created.
• Centralized processes: The processes are far too centralized—too much power is vested in the State
Government to approve and sanction the DPs and TPS. The State Government is responsible for
undertaking both substantial reviews and procedural reviews of each and every DP (there are about 150
urban areas) and for innumerable TPSs. There are no limits on
the time it takes for this and there is a tremendous amount of corruption that takes place at this stage.
Inadequate capacities in terms of lack of staff and qualified planners add to the problem.
• Disconnect with the city budgeting process: At the moment, there is no clear linkage of the DPs
and TPS with the city budgeting process.

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

Potentials of Town Planning


The TPS has tremendous potential that needs to be demonstrated effectively to the planners
practicing in the public sector. This will considerably reinvigorate the urban planning system that
is so critically required at this stage to transform Indian cities.
• TPS as an infrastructure financing tool: Although several TPSs have been done and a land
bank is being built up with the planning authorities, there is no systematic asset management
framework in place. As a consequence, valuable land parcels created are not efficiently leveraged
to finance infrastructure in cities. The present manner in which land valuation is done needs to be
overhauled and made more systematic and rational so that it is realistic and in sync with the
market prices. At present, land valuation is dictated by the concern to match the revenue in the
form of betterment charges to the expenditure incurred by the Development Authority to develop
the infrastructure and compensation.
• TPS as a tool to introduce innovative planning concepts: Until now, the task of
preparation of DPs has been restricted to land use zoning and the arterial road network structure.
The TPSs have until now been treated as mechanical exercises in reconstituting land parcels, and
not enough attention has been paid to planning concerns, be it in terms of the road network or
responding to special site features. Three dimensional aspects are not addressed.
Further, the manner in which the land for public uses is appropriated is highly fragmented. The
TPS tool offers and opportunity to consolidate public lands. This has happened partly because this
potential has never been demonstrated and partly because, the technical capacities of the town
planning staff are severely constrained.
• TPS as a tool to build accurate maps and land records for the city: No city in India does
have an accurate surveyed map of the city after 60 years of independence. While a DP is
prepared, the first task is to prepare a base map. When the TPSs are prepared, very accurate
cadastral maps and landownership details are developed.

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED


RURAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT URBAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ELEVENTH SCHEDULE TWELFTH SCHEDULE
(Article 243G) (Article 243W)
1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension. 1. Urban planning including town planning.
2. Land improvement, implementation land 2. Regulation of land-use and construction
reforms, land consolidation and soil of buildings.
conservation. 3. Planning for economic and social
3. Minor irrigation, water management and development.
watershed development. 4. Roads and bridges.
4. Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry. 5. Water supply for domestic, industrial and
5. Fisheries. commercial purposes.
6. Social forestry and farm forestry. 6. Public health, sanitation conservancy and
7. Minor forest produce. solid waste management.
8. Small scale industries, including food 7. Fire services.
processing industries. 8. Urban forestry, protection of the
9. Khadi, village and cottage industries. environment and promotion of ecological
10. Rural housing. aspects.
11. Drinking water. 9. Safeguarding the interests of weaker
12. Fuel and fodder. sections of society, including the
13. Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways handicapped and mentally retarded.
and other means of communication. 10. Slum improvement and upgradation.
14. Rural electrification, including distribution 11. Urban poverty alleviation.
of electricity. 12. Provision of urban amenities and
15. Non-conventional energy sources. facilities such as parks, gardens,
16. Poverty alleviation programme. playgrounds.
17. Education, including primary and secondary 13. Promotion of cultural, educational and
schools. aesthetic aspects.
18. Technical training and vocational education. 14. Burials and burial grounds; cremations,
19. Adult and non-formal education. cremation grounds and electric
20. Libraries. crematoriums.
21. Cultural activities. 15. Cattle pounds; prevention of cruelty to
22. Markets and fairs. animals.
23. Health and sanitation, including hospitals, 16. Vital statistics including registration of
primary health centers and dispensaries. births and deaths.
24. Family welfare. 17. Public amenities including street
25. Women and child development. lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public
26. Social welfare, including welfare of the conveniences.
handicapped and mentally retarded. 18. Regulation of slaughter houses and
27. Welfare of the weaker sections, tanneries.
and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and
the Scheduled Tribes.
28. Public distribution system.
29. Maintenance of community assets.

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S.Rengasamy – Madurai Institute of Social Sciences – Introduction to Town Planning

Issues in Urban Planning


It is now being recognized that cities are the engines of growth at both regional and national level.
To facilitate and sustain this growth, cities have to provide both a high quality of life and an efficient
infrastructure for economic activities.

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 Master plan Approach – Concepts, Objectives and Functions


The master plan, which was perceived to be a process rather than a conclusive statement, provides
guidelines for the physical development of the city and guides people in locating their investments in
the city. In short, Master Plan is a design for the physical, social, economic and political frame work
for the city, which greatly improves the quality of Urban Governance also.

The functions of the Master Plan / Development plan:


1. To guide development of a city is an orderly manner so as to improve the quality of life of the
people
2. Organize and coordinate the complex relationships between urban land uses
3. Chart a course for growth and change, be responsive to change and maintain its validity over
time and space, and be subject to continual review
4. Direct the physical development of the city in relation to its social and economic characteristics
based on comprehensive surveys and studies on the present status and the future growth
prospects; and
5. Provide a resource mobilization plan for the proposed development works.

Critique of the Master Plan Approach


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 dealing of land use aspects.

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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