Udaipur – The Royal Abode of Lakes

Settlement Study

Anuj Khandelwal, Manik Gupta, Saudamini Chattopadhyay, Sushant Jain

B.Arch. 3rd Yr. Sec.B
 UDAIPUR
Udaipur is a beautiful city, set amidst the Aravalli Ranges of Rajasthan,
India. Known for its picturesque lakes, Udaipur also called 'the city of
lakes'. The elevated hills and the beautiful lakes make a picture-perfect
backdrop to the Udaipur city. Udaipur is regarded as one of the most
romantic cities of the World and subsequently, also known as the 'Venice
of East'.
Udaipur is famous for its captivating lakes, but the city has many more
attractions that catch the attention of the tourists with their charm. Lake
Palace of Udaipur has been accredited for being one of the most romantic
places all across the globe. The massive forts of Udaipur, grab the interest
of people with their sheer structure and architecture. The beautiful
temples create a sense of aestheticism with their spiritual ecstasy. Udaipur
also boasts of various museums, palaces, gardens, monuments and
colorful festivals that allure tourists to visit the city for once.

Panoramic view of the two major lakes of Udaipur

History
Udaipur city had been the capital of Mewar rulers for
centuries. Maharana Udai Singh laid the foundation for the
city in the fertile valley well-protected by the elevated
Aravalli Hills, in 1557 A.D . After this he set up a palace
for him in Udaipur .
In 1568 A.D, when the Mughal emperor Akbar captured
Chittor,Udai Singh permanently moved the capital, which
became the city of Udaipur. He constructed the lake Udai
Sagar along with the city.
From then Udaipur remained the capital of the Rajput
kingdom of Mewar ruled by Ranawats. As the Mughal
empire weakened, the Sisodia ranas, and later maharanas,
reasserted their independence and recaptured most of
Mewar region except the fort of Chittor.
Udaipur remained the capital of the state, which became a
princely state of British India in 1818. After India‘s
Independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Udaipur acceded to
the Government of India, and Mewar was integrated into
Rajasthan state.

HISTORICAL MAP OR CURRENT RAJASTHAN- MEWAR

MAP: Urban Sprawl and Direction of Growth

Urban Sprawl in 1947 Urban Sprawl in 1964

Urban Sprawl in 1947

Urban Sprawl in 1964

Urban Sprawl in 1997

Urban Sprawl in 2022

Urban Sprawl in 1997 Urban Sprawl in 2022 (Proposed)
 Trends of the Development (1946-2005)
Udaipur City Growth
• The city’s growth direction generally
is towards the East, North – East and
South – East.
• The city didn’t grow in the west and
North – west mainly due to the
presence of Aravalli hills.
• The city has grown from 17.17
sq.km
to 64.1 sq.km in the period of 1946 –
1997 .
• Sudden rise in the developmental
activities in the city has given rise to
so many problems like lack of good
infrastructural facilities, rise in
migration, growth of slums, all of
MAP: Growth of Udaipur Municipal Area
this leading to the deterioration of
the lake system.

MAP: Growth of Udaipur Municipal Area

Growth of Udaipur Municipal Area
LAND USE PATTERN, 1972-73
 Land Use 1972- 1973
Use Area in Acres %age of Developed Area %age of Urban Area

Residential 1585 41.0 37.3

Commercial 115 3.0 2.6
Industrial 170 4.5 3.9
Governmental 75 2.0 1.6
Recreational 365 9.5 8.5
Public and Semi-Public 1010 26.0 23.4

Circulation 540 14.0 12.5

3860 100.0 89.8
DEVELOPED AREA
Government 130 - 3.0
Reserved

Water Bodies 85 - 2.0

Agriculture 75 - 1.7

Other vacant land 150 - 3.5

Undeveloped land

4300 100% 100.0

URBAN AREA
 URBAN RESIDENTIAL AREAS
OTHER RESIDENTIAL AREAS
SLUM AREAS

SHOPPING MARKET AREAS

WHOLESALE MARKET
STORES AND GODOWNS
DISTRICT/COMMUNITY CENTRES

LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIES

SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES
COTTAGE INDUSTRIES

GOVERNMENT OFFICES
GOVERNMENT ACQUIRED LAND

PARKS, OPEN SPACES & PLAY GROUNDS

SEMI PUBLIC RECREATIONAL SPACES

SCHOOL, COLLEGE, INSTITUTE

HOSPITALS, DISPENSARIES, VETENARIES
RELIGIOUS, HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
OTHER COMMUNITIY SERVICES
CREMATORIUMS AND CEMATARIES
PUBLIC SERVICES

NURSERIES AND ORCHARDS

RESERVED FOREST AREAS/ GREEN BELT
AGRICULTURAL LAND
CO-OPRATIVE FAMR LAND

RALWAY STN./ YARD

ROAD TRANSPORT DEPOT
BUS AND TRUCK TERMINAL

LAND USE PATTERN, 1997-CURRENT OPEN LAND

RIVERS, SEWER, WATER BODIES
RURAL POPULATION
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION LIMITS
CANALS
Udaipur City Map
(Current)

Important Sites
and
Road Connectivity
Distribution of total commercial area- 1997

Type of commercial activity Area in acres

Central Business Area 130
Sub- city Centre 40
Community centres 25
Other small shopping centers 20
Specialized and Wholesale Markets 90
Warehouses and Godowns 100
Hotels 110
Total 515
CLIMATE AND RAINFALL

Climate of Udaipur is semi – arid. It has hot dry

summer
and bracing cold season. The temperature varies
between a maximum of 42.3°C and a minimum
of
28.8°C during summers. Winter is generally from
November to February. Winters are colder with
the maximum temperature rising to 28.8°C and
the minimum dipping to 2.5°C.
The city receives most of its rainfall during the
south west monsoon (June – September) with an
average Annual Rainfall of 641.63 mm. The city
experiences 42.92 annual mean rainy days. The
annual rainfall recorded from 1990
– 2005 is given in the fig.
 Occupation Structure
ECONOMY
YEAR 1971 1981 1991

OCCUPATION Persons %age of

Total
Persons %age of Total
Workers
Persons %age of Total
Workers
Economy of Udaipur city is
Workers based on tertiary sector. Tourism
Agriculture 2194 5.0 2693 4.50 2874 3.13
is the major contributor of the
Mining, Quarrying and allied 507 1.2 1678 2.60 3559 3.88
activities city’s economy. 93% of the total
Industry 8465 19.3 13167 20.10 19055 20.79 workers are main workers.
Construction 1556 3.5 4170 6.40 4674 5.10 Percentage distribution of
Trade and Commerce 8903 20.3 13318 20.40 22182 24.20 workers employed in different
sectors of occupation is given in
Transport and Communication 4440 10.1 6123 9.40 9586 10.46
fig 5. According to census, work
Other Services 17845 40.6 23941 23.60 29724 32.44
force participation has increased
TOTAL: 43910 100% 65360 100% 91654 100% to 32% in 2001 from
28.1% in 1981.

Northeast part of Udaipur has plain area so

secondary and tertiary activities are
increasing in this direction. located in
north/northeast direction of Udaipur have
small-scale industries and maximum
minerals activities. Udaipur is essentially
developing along NH8 to Ahmedabad and
NH76 to Chittorgarh.
Breakup Of Workers
Population
Growth As per 2001 Census, the population of Udaipur city was
3.89 lakhs with an average density of 35 persons per acre.
The administrative boundary of Udaipur municipal area
spreads over 64.1 sq km.

According to 1991 census, 50 % of the city’s population

resides in the walled city which is 515 acres ( 8% of the
total area). There was sudden rise in population during
1970 - 80 as there was a lot of industrial development in
the city.

Floating population:

The city has a huge inflow of domestic and foreign

tourists. Tourist in flow has increased recently, but there
Fig : Decadal Population of Udaipur city was a decrease of tourist between 2001 – 2003 as the lakes
Source: Census got dried up due to less rainfall.

Foreign tourist has increased over a

period of time, it was 79896 in the year
1992 and it has gone up in the year 2004
which is 199547. Growth rate of total
tourist inflow has increased from 3.77%
in 1992 to 13.05% in 2004..
 Population Growth Rate
Year Population Variation %age Variation

1881 38214 - -

1891 48580 10266 26.88

1901 45976 -2604 -5.36

1911 33229 -12747 -27.73

1921 34789 +1560 +4.69

1931 44035 +9246 +26.58

1941 59648 +15613 +35.46

1951 89621 +29973 +50.25

1961 111139 +21518 +24.01

1971 161278 +50139 +45.11

1981 232588 +71310 +44.22

1991 308571 +75988 + 32.67

2001 389317 +80800 +26.18

2011* 599000 +209683 +53.85

2022* 830000 +231000 +38.56

*estimated
Proposed Land use distribution
The master plan (2001) is proposed a land use pattern for 2022. Out of the total developed area, 37.42% was allocated for residential use, 18.8 %
under circulation, 12.3% as public and semi public, 10.5% as industrial, 3.82% as commercial, 25.41% as recreational and 1.2% as Governmental.
The 1976-96 master plan was subsequently revised and new masters plan till 2001.
Land use pattern in 2007 Land use pattern in 2022 (proposed)
 Land Use Comparison over the years
1971 1988 1997
Use Area in Acres
Residential 1585 2565 4988
Commercial 115 295 548
Industrial 170 910 1152
Governmental 75 92 96
Recreational 365 302 358
Public and Semi- 1010 1615 1632
Public
Circulation 540 995 1105
DEVELOPED AREA 3860 6774 9879
Government 130 800 865
Reserved
Water Bodies 85 255 285

Agriculture 75 135 1900

Other vacant land 150 531 9672

URBAN AREA 4300 8495 22601

Land use pattern in 1946 Land use pattern in 1997

In the pre independence period, the

majority of land was used for
agriculture. But with changing time, the
land usage has shifted towards
residential use which now occupies
almost half the area of the city. Also
with the increasing needs, the road
network and market facilities have been
improved.

Proposed Land use pattern for 2022

Strengths
• Picturesque and congenial natural setting. Topographic profile, with
surrounding hills containing water bodies, provides a natural water
collection set up for city.
• Attracts 15 percent of state’s foreign tourists (diverse tourist
attraction like lakes, heritage, religious places and gardens).
• Ten percent of total large and medium industries in state (Mineral
stone and textile industries – largest revenue generator)/
• Market Center for surrounding region.
• Seat of Administrative Power in District and Division/
• Presence of Large number of education institutions in city of
population only 5 lakh.
• In comparison to other urban areas has highest percentage of literate
population in the state (87.90 percent).
Annual tourist inflow 1992-2004

Foreign tourist has increased over a

period of time, it was 79896 in the
year 1992 and it has gone up in the
year 2004 which is 199547. Growth
rate of total tourist inflow has
increased from 3.77% in 1992 to
13.05% in 2004.

CITY VIEW FROM THE CITY PALACE

Weaknesses
• Absence of broad gauge connectivity to the city affecting industrial as well as commercial growth.
• Infrastructure facilities like sewerage, drainage and solid waste management coverage less than 50 percent.
• Insufficient heritage management;
• Lack of civic awareness on heritage and conservation.
• Concentration of major commercial activities in old city area, causing severe congestion; and
• Absence of efficient mass transportation facility within city.

Poorly managed parts of monumental buildings

Opportunities

• Protection, restoration and overall environmental

improvement of lakes to attract tourist activities.
• Comprehensive traffic planning and a transport system
management plan for whole city.
• Developing a tourist circuit connecting places of tourist
interest, which would involve development of related
infrastructure.
• Prioritizing sewage and sanitation systems, which would
reduce ground water and surface, water pollution.

Threats

• Traditional houses in the walled city risk demolition by

their owners due to high maintenance and repair required
for these buildings.
• Depleting resources like marble and other minerals due
to lack of resource management and overuse.
• Increasing levels of water and air pollution due to
inefficient drainage / sanitation and increasing traffic
respectively.
• Competing investment in tourism infrastructure in other
cities both in Rajasthan and other states.
 CITY PALACE
The majestic white City Palace located in the heart of
Udaipur, was originally built by Maharana Udai Singh of the
Sisodia Rajput clan. Built in granite and marble and
surrounded by crenellated fort walls, the largest palace
complex in  Rajasthan stands on a crest overlooking the
Pichola Lake. 

ENTRANCE GATEWAY TO
THE PALACE

(L)MAP SHOWING POSITION OF CITY PALACE. (R) PICTURE OF

CITY PALACE
 FRONT ELEVATION OF CITY PALACE, UDAIPUR

1. Toran Pol 13. Naharo Ka Darikhana

2. Surya Gokhada 14. Saleh Khana
3. Pitam Niwas 15. Dilkhushal Mahal
4. Nagina Badi 16. Kaanch ki Burj
5. Sabah Shiromani Ka Darikhana 17. Yash Mandir
6. Verandah Outside Mor Chowk 18. Badi Mahal
7. Surya Prakash 19. Mukut Mandir
8. Pagda Ki Hathni 20. Hathi ki Aagad
9. Moti Mahal 21. Hawa Mahal
10. Shiv Vilas Chini Ki Chitrashali 22. Tripolia
11. Vani Vilas 23. Amar Mahal
12. Chitram Ki Burj 24. Manak Mahal
CITY PALACE

The City Palace is placed on top of a mountain. From

various points in the Palace, different views of the
city are available which show the grandeur of the city
and also the view of magnificent Lake Palace.

VIEWING THE CITY, THE PALACE PARKING AND THE

LAKECPALACE FROM THE CITY PALACE
 Bagore ki Haveli
Situated on the picturesque bank of Picchola Lake, Bagore ki Haveli was built by Amarchand Badava, Chief-Minister of the former Bagore thikaana
in the 18th cent. This palatial building reportedly has 138 rooms, balconies, terraces , courtyards and corridors. What was once upon a time a living
centre of nobility of Udaipur lay in darkness and ruined for nearly half a century till when it was handed over to the West-Zone Cultural Centre.
Right from the beginning, the WZCC thought it appropriate to convert the haveli into a museum. Originally the idea was to represent the culture of
Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan, the West Zone States, in the proposed museum. On second thoughts, it was felt that the haveli had very
typical and charming architectural style and a unique character- it was a veritable architectural museum by itself and therefore it would not be
appropriate to bring into it features of Goan or Maharashtrian culture, which would be ill-at-ease in an unrelated environment like the Haveli. It was
then decided in 1992, that the Haveli should be restored and preserved as a museum of Mewar’s aristocratic culture as it may be imagined to have
existed in the 18th and 19th century. The idea was not to realistically reconstruct the past but to symbolically invoke the spirit of by-gone culture by
means of few selected objects displayed in a context that would defy the conventional notion of a museum and save itself from arduous task of
artificial reconstruction of history under the name of ‘aunthenticity’.
 Bagore ki Haveli

The Haveli was restored, primarily using local, traditional materials and skills. Several murals
done in araish technique in 18th and 19th century, which were lying covered behind the layers
of subsequent white-washes, were uncovered during restoration and doors, windows and
perforated screens were repaired or replaced.
A few rooms and passages have been brought to a kind of imaginery lived in condition of the
Haveli, as it were, in its heyday, by display of floor-coverings, low tables, hookahs, paan-
boxes, nut-crackers, hand-fans, rose-water sprinklers and several such household objects of
everyday life.
A conscious attempt has been made here to avoid a
romantic reconstruction of the culture that was. It is
essentially a museum which tries to reinterpret
architecture, lifestyle and cultural ethos of days of yore
from the vantage point of present.
Currently, a few spaces such as the women’s private
chamber, a dressing room, a shrine of domestic
worship, and a recreation room have been restored and
displayed.
Bagore ki Haveli

The Bagore Ki Haveli is placed along the lake Picchola

on the Gangaur ghat with a huge gateway to the ghat.
Aravalli vatika
Musical fountain garden

GARDENS IN UDAIPUR
Recreational area covers about 9.5%
of the total developed area, which is
higher because of the fact that
Udaipur has many big and small
public gardens.

Park on hill