Module Details

Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. Sanjukkta Bhaduri

Professor, Urban Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, New
Delhi
Paper Coordinator Prof. Dr. Sanjukkta Bhaduri
Content Writer Prof. Dr. Sanjukkta Bhaduri
Content Reviewer Prof. Kavas Kapadia
Former Dean & Visiting Faculty, Urban Planning, School of Planning
and Architecture, New Delhi
Subject Name Masters in Planning
Paper Name City & Metropolitan Planning
Module Title Typology, Hierarchy, Components & Functions of Urban Areas
Objectives • Defining Urban Areas: Various Perspectives
• Characteristics of an Urban Area
• Economic Base of Urban Areas
• Urban Areas: Global and India
• Components/ Land Uses of Urban Areas
• Typology of Urban Areas
Key Words Urban, Social, Economic, Census, Settlements, Hierarchy, Functions,
Components
 Module 1: Unit Structure

1. Introduction to Urban Areas ................................................................................................................. 3

2. Various Perspectives of Urban Areas .................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Sociologists’ Perspective ..................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Economists’ Perspective ..................................................................................................................... 3
2.3 Ecologists’ Perspective ........................................................................................................................ 3
2.4 Geographers’ Perspective ................................................................................................................... 4
2.5 Planners’ Perspective .......................................................................................................................... 4
3. Characteristics of Urban Areas ............................................................................................................. 4
4. Economic Base of an Urban Area .......................................................................................................... 6
5. Global definitions of urban areas.......................................................................................................... 8
6. Definition of Urban Areas in India ........................................................................................................ 8
6.1 Administrative classification of Urban Areas (Census 2011) .............................................................. 8
7. Components/ Land Uses in an Urban Area ......................................................................................... 10
8. Types of Urban Areas based on Characteristics.................................................................................. 13
9. Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 15
 1. Introduction to Urban Areas

The word Urban originated from Latin word ‘urbanus’ which relates to, is characteristic of, or constitutes
a city or town.
An urban area is a human settlement with high population density, infrastructure and dense built
environment. They are also referred to as cities, towns, outgrowths and urban agglomeration.
Urban Areas are the places where people from different socio- cultural backgrounds gather, either by
choice or by circumstance, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of all its citizens.

Figure 1. Concentrated and dense urban areas

2. Various Perspectives of Urban Areas

Over time, various disciplines have defined urban areas from various perspectives. A city means different
thing to a sociologist, economist, ecologist, geographer or an urban planner.
2.1 Sociologists’ Perspective
Urban areas are places with ‘Concentration of people from similar and diverse backgrounds’ in terms of
caste, race, color, economic status, education and occupation etc. Louis Wirth, an American sociologist,
in his paper, “Urbanism as a way of life (1938)” defined the ‘Urban Areas’ by four characteristics i.e.
Permanence, Large population size, High population density and Social heterogeneity.
Max Weber, a Prussian and German sociologist, philosopher, jurist, and political economist, in his essay
“The City (1922)” says that “anonymity” is the defining criterion of city. “The city is a settlement of
closely spaced dwellings which form a colony so extensive that the reciprocal personal acquaintance of
the inhabitants, elsewhere characteristic of the neighborhood, is lacking”
2.2 Economists’ Perspective
Urban areas are engines of economic growth, centers of economy generating activities and high
contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Economic definition of an urban area is based on “Market
center”. Max Weber develops economic typology of city as Consumer City versus Producer City, or
Industry City versus Merchant City. City inhabitants live primarily from trade and commerce rather than
agriculture and serves people beyond the settlement. The local population satisfies an economically
significant part of its everyday requirements in the local market, and a significant part of the products
bought there are acquired or produced specifically for sale on the market by the local population or that of
the immediate hinterland.
2.3 Ecologists’ Perspective
An urban area is ‘a spatially concentrated ecosystem that comprises of biotic components interactive with
abiotic components through movement of energy and material resources; and waste assimilation.’ The
structure and behavior of urban ecosystem relate to direction and rate of flow of materials, opportunity
costs, stability characteristics and risk functions which are determined by economic, political and social
selection processes.
Urban areas are analogous to living organisms that take birth, grow, fall sick and perish. Le Corbusier, a
Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner and writer, while comparing cities to a human
body said that- Administration is the brain, city center is the heart, transportation and communication
networks are blood vessels, water supply and sewerage system are the intestines, parks and open spaces
are lungs, water bodies are the kidneys and the limbs are the production and manufacturing units of an
urban area.
2.4 Geographers’ Perspective
Urban settlements are areas of spatial concentration of people in consideration with size, extent,
topography and resources. Geographers generally define urban area as “a concentration of people with a
similar way of life based on job type, cultural preferences, political views and lifestyle”.
Rural areas consist of small and dispersed populations, whereas urban areas consist of concentrated
and dense populations. One city can be distinguished from another by various characteristics that it
possesses, such as areas of different sizes, specialized land uses, a variety of different institutions and use
of natural and cultural resources
2.5 Planners’ Perspective
A planners’ perspective of urban areas is more comprehensive taking all the social, economic, ecological
and geographical aspects together. Urban settlement is a dynamic spatial entity of high concentration of
people, various uses and activities on land connected by transportation and communication networks.
Urban Area can refer to an administrative unit of a certain population size and density. A distinction is
sometimes made between towns and cities – the former have population less than 1 Lakh and the latter
has above 1 Lakh.
The term ‘City’ also refers to perceptions of an urban way of life and specific social or cultural features,
as well as functional places of economic activity and exchange.
*Self-evaluation:
 Who wrote ‘Urbanism as a way of life (1938)’?
Ans. Louis Wirth
 What are the two components that interact with each other from ecologist’s perspective?
Ans. Biotic and Abiotic components

3. Characteristics of Urban Areas

There are some distinct characteristics of urban areas in terms of physical, social, economic, and
administrative aspects. These are-
− Places with high concentration of people and physical development in terms of built form,
networks and densities.
− Complex with interconnectivity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects.
− Dynamic and Growing in terms of population, area, economy, activities, built- up areas, facilities
and services.
 Figure 2. Maps showing dynamic and growing urban areas: Case of Surat

Decadal Population Growth Rate (%)

100.00 93.00
83.53
80.00 73.29
63.75 64.65 62.38
60.00

40.00 30.18 29.05

20.00
2.23
-3.72
0.00
1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
-20.00 -15.75
Figure 3. Graph showing decadal population growth rate (%)
− Diverse and Heterogeneous in terms of their size, structure, spatial form, economy, wealth,
resources, heritage (cultural and natural) and environmental status.

Figure 4. Built- up density and population density maps showing diversity in urban areas
 − Interlinked with its hinterland/ region in terms of resources, commodities, waste disposal,
facilities and services.

Figure 5. A map showing various hierarchy of settlements interlinked in a region

− Centers of Opportunities in terms of jobs, activities (manufacturing and services), businesses,

innovation, creativity and knowledge
− Places with good accessibility and connectivity in terms of road, rail, air and water.
− Centers of higher level services in terms of-
− Physical infrastructure such as water supply, sanitation and waste management; transmission
and communication
− Social infrastructure such as education, health care, recreational activities.
− Centers of administration and governance

*Self-Evaluation:

 State four major criteria for defining urban areas.

Ans. Administration, threshold population size, population density and economic activities

4. Economic Base of an Urban Area

There are three broad categories of economic activities i.e. Primary (directly dependent upon natural
resources), Secondary (Manufacturing) and Tertiary (Services). Primary activities are considered as rural
functions whereas secondary and tertiary activities are urban functions. The role and extent of these
functions varies according to the historical, socio-economic context and predominant economic functions
of each city, (e.g. financial cities, manufacturing cities, educational city, religious city etc.).
Since the city is jointly a place of production, distribution and consumption of material goods, it will
generate material flows. Globalization has changed the functions of urban areas by expanding its scope.

Figure 6. Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Economic Activities

Primary- Primary activities are directly dependent up on natural resources such as land,
water, vegetation, building materials and minerals and thus, highly affect the environment. Primary
activities include, agriculture and allied activities (horticulture, floriculture, sericulture, viticulture,
pisciculture, bee keeping, cattle rearing); forestry; grazing; hunting and fishing etc.
Secondary- Secondary activities add value to natural resources by transforming raw materials
into valuable products. Secondary activities, therefore, are concerned with manufacturing,
processing, construction (infrastructure) industries; mining and quarrying.
Tertiary- Tertiary activities include both production and exchange of goods and services. The production
involves the ‘provision’ of services that are ‘consumed’ such as education, health, entertainment, social
services, administration, hospitality and tourism. Exchange, involves trade and commerce, transport and
communication facilities.
The functions of a city depend largely upon the occupational structure of its citizens. The larger the scale
of a city, the more the number of functions it is likely to perform. Large, Metropolitan and Mega Cities
are multi-functional while Small and medium towns are single and/ or bi-functional.
 Multi-functional cities- performs two or more functions such as administration, services,
manufacturing and production etc. e.g. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangaluru,
Ludhiana etc.
 Unifunctional cities- dominated by one function, e.g. Chandigarh is predominantly
administrative, Nanded and Ujjain are cities with religious tourism as dominant economic
activitiy; Jabalpur, Rourkela, Bhilai and Jamshedpur are predominantly industrial cities etc.

*Self-Evaluation:

 How many categories of economic sectors are there?

Ans. Three- Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
 Name any three activities included in secondary economic sector?
Ans. Manufacturing, production, processing, mining, quarrying and construction.
 5. Global definitions of urban areas
The definition of ‘urban’ varies from country to country, and, with periodic reclassification, can also vary
within one country over time, making direct comparisons difficult. An urban area can be defined by one
or more of the following: administrative criteria or political boundaries, a threshold population size,
population density, economic function or the presence of urban characteristics. Following are the
definition of urban areas in some countries based on major criteria:
Table 1. Definition of urban areas in some countries based on major criteria
Country Definition of Urban Area
Argentina Populated centers with 2,000 or more
Canada 1,000 or more inhabitants Density of 400 or more per sq. km.
China Cities designated by the State Council Other places with density of 1,500 or more per
sq. km.
Japan Areas with 50,000 or more population More than 60% of the population (including
dependent) engaged in urban activities
Mexico Localities of 2,500 or more population
Niger Capital city and capitals of departments and districts
Peru Populated centers with 100 or more dwellings
United States Urban Clusters of 2,500- 50,000 and Pop. Density> 1000 persons per square mile
urbanized areas of 50,000 or more
population
England 1,500 or more residents Urban land use of 20 hectares or more
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2007 Demographic Yearbook: Table 6.
6. Definition of Urban Areas in India
India has a total population of 1.21 Billion as per Census 2011. There are twenty nine States and seven
Union Territories which are further divided into districts. Districts are sub- divided into Tehsils/ Mandals/
Talukas. As per Census 2011, there are 5767 Tehsils in 640 districts. Further there are 7933 cities and
towns; and 6.41 Lakh villages.
Census of India has defined the urban areas as follows:
1. All places with a municipal committee/ council/ corporation, cantonment board or notified town area
committee, etc.
2. All other places which satisfied the following criteria:
i. A minimum population of 5,000;
ii. At least 75 per cent of the working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits; and
iii. A density of population of at least 400 persons per sq. km.
6.1 Administrative classification of Urban Areas (Census 2011)
• Statutory town (ST)- These are the areas notified under law by the concerned State/UT
Government and have local bodies like municipal corporations, municipalities, municipal
committees, etc., irrespective of their demographic characteristics. e.g. Ellenabad in Haryana,
Faridkot and Firozpur Cantonment Board in Punjab, Najibabad in Uttar Pradesh, Palampur in
Himachal Pradesh etc.
• Census Town (CT) is not declared as Municipality or Nagar Panchayat, but has a minimum
population of 5000; population density of at least 400 persons/sq km; and at least 75% of the
workers engaged in non-agricultural activities. e.g. Chhapra in Gujarat, Adyar in Karnataka,
Chandpara in West Bengal, Barh in Bihar, Nagla in Uttarakhand etc.
• Outgrowth (OG)- An Out Growth is a viable unit such as a village or a hamlet or an enumeration
block made up of such village or hamlet and clearly identifiable in terms of its boundaries and
location. Some of the examples are railway colony, university campus, port area, military camps,
etc., which have come up near a statutory town outside its statutory limits but within the revenue
 limits of a village or villages contiguous to the town. While determining the outgrowth of a town,
it has been ensured that it possesses the urban features in terms of infrastructure and amenities
such as pucca roads, electricity, taps, drainage system for disposal of waste water etc. educational
institutions, post offices, medical facilities, banks etc. and physically contiguous with the core
town of the UA. Examples: Central Railway Colony (OG), Triveni Nagar (N.E.C.S.W.) (OG),
etc. Each such town together with its outgrowth(s) is treated as an integrated urban area and is
designated as an ‘urban agglomeration’.
• Urban agglomeration (UA)- An urban agglomeration is a continuous urban spread constituting a
town and its adjoining outgrowths (OGs), or two or more physically contiguous towns together
with or without outgrowths of such towns. An Urban Agglomeration must consist of at least a
statutory town and its total population (i.e. all the constituents put together) should not be less
than 20,000. In varying local conditions, there were similar other combinations which have been
treated as urban agglomerations satisfying the basic condition of contiguity. E.g. Makrana and
Malpura in Rajasthan, Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, Mangrol in Gujarat, Margao and Panjim in
Goa, Mussoorie in Uttarakhand etc.

Table 2. Number of towns, urban agglomerations and outgrowths in India

Number of 2001 2011
Towns/UAs/OGs Census Census
Statutory towns 3799 4041
Census Towns 1362 3894
Urban Agglomerations 384 475
Out Growths 962 981
Source: Census of India 2011 http://www.censusindia.gov.in/
As per Census 2011 there are 7,935 towns in the country. The number of towns has increased by 2,774
since last Census. Many of these towns are part of UAs and the rest are independent towns. The total
number of Urban Agglomerations/Towns, which constitutes the urban frame, is 6166.
Table 3. Number of towns in India as per population size class
Size-class Population No. of towns (2011)
Mega City Above 10 million 3
Million Plus City/ 1-10 million 53
Metropolis
I 0.1- 1 million 452
II 50,000 to 99,999 605
III 20,000 to 49,999 1905
IV 10,000 to 19,999 2233
V 5,000 to 9,999 2187
VI Less than 5,000 498
Source: Census of India 2011 http://www.censusindia.gov.in/

The total land area of India is 328.7 Million Ha as on 2011. Considering the 1.21 Billion population of
India, 0.30 Ha land was available per capita in 2001 which has reduced to 0.27 Ha in 2011. Total area
under urban settlements in India was 77.37 Lakh Ha as on 2001 which is 2.52% of the total area. For an
urban population of 377.10 Million in 2011, per urbanite availability of urban land was 0.03 Ha in 2001.
At global level, out of the total 14.8 Billion Ha land area of the Earth, 35 Million Ha i.e. 2.7% is under
urban use.
*Self-Evaluation:

 What is an urban area with population above 10 million called?

Ans. Mega Cities
  Out of total area of India, how much area is under urban settlements?
Ans. 77.37 Lakh Ha (2.5%)

7. Components/ Land Uses in an Urban Area

The various components of a city are the people, structures, networks and supporting services. These
components are manifested spatially into land uses. As the word suggests, Land Use is the use undertaken
on a particular land. Land use can be defined as “man's activity on the land or the purpose for which the
land is being used” (Dickinson & Shaw, 1977)
Land use is characterized by the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land
cover type to produce, change or maintain it. Any given area of land is usually used to satisfy multiple
objectives or purposes. (FAO/UNEP, 1999)
Land Use Classifications
There are certain categories of land uses in an urban area on the basis of predominant use. These are as
follows:
• Residential,
• Commercial,
• Industrial,
• Mixed Use,
• Public/ Semi- Public,
• Recreational,
• Transportation,
• Utilities,
• Others
Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation Guidelines, 2014 has suggested the following
standards for percentage of area under various uses as per the size class of cities.
Table 4. Area under various Land Uses by City- Size (% of developed area)
Sr. Land Use Small Medium Large Cities Metropolitan &
No. (Pop.<5,000- (Pop. 50,000- (Pop.- 5- 10 Mega Cities
50,000) 5 Lakh) Lakh) (Pop. > 10 Lakh)
1 Residential 45-50 43-48 36-39 36-38
2 Commercial 2-3 4-6 5-6 5-6
3 Industrial 8-10 7-9 7-8 7-8
4 Public & Semi- Public 6-8 6-8 10-12 10-12
5 Recreational 12-14 12-14 14-16 14-16
6 Transportation & 10-12 10-12 12-14 12-14
Communication
7 Agriculture, Water Balance Balance Balance Balance
Bodies and Special
Areas
8 Total developed area 100 100 100 100

As shown in the table, as the scale of city increases, the area under residential and industrial uses
decreases and commercial, public/ semi- public, recreational, transportation and communication
increases. Further there can be some area in the city dedicated to agriculture, water bodies and other
special uses.
Land Uses
Residential land uses- Residential land use occupies the maximum land i.e. 40-50% in an urban area.
Cities and towns are home to many different types of housing, including everything from plotted houses
to high-rise apartment buildings. Further it can be differentiated on the basis of density such as low,
medium and high; and income groups such as High, Middle, Low Income groups and Economically
Weaker Sections. Residential areas can also be classified based on planning such as planned or formal
residential areas and unplanned or informal residential areas which includes slums and squatters. As a city
expands, there are villages that fall into the statutory limits of urban areas which are classified as Urban
Villages or Abadi Areas. Residential land use is depicted in Yellow color in a map.
Commercial- This land use comprises of the trade and commerce areas of a city which are further
differentiated as retail and wholesale trade, vending areas etc. There is a hierarchy of urban commercial
areas depending upon the population served. Starting from the neighborhood level, there are local or
convenient shopping center, service market and community center. At sub- city level, there is district
center/ sub‐central business district and then metropolitan city center/ central business district at City
level. The type of activities within the commercial centers will also vary as per the city size.
Other activities such as hotels, restaurants, storage and warehouse, depots etc. are also a part of
commercial land use. Commercial land use is represented in Red as per Master Plan of Delhi- 2021 and in
Blue as per Town & Country Planning Organization, India.
Industrial- These are the manufacturing, production and processing areas in a city which are further
classified as Light/ Small, Medium & Heavy/ Large on the basis of various criteria such as investment,
energy consumption and employees. These can also be classified as Intensive and extensive based on the
type of raw materials and the final product. Industrial land use is depicted in purple color in a map.
Mixed use- There can be a mix of two or more compatible uses. Residential area can be mixed with
institutional, commercial and light industrial areas. Commercial area can be mixed with industrial,
institutional and residential areas. Industrial areas can have residential areas for employee housing and
supporting commercial and institutional land uses. It enhances the work- place relationship, increases the
public activity and also prevents the commercial areas from becoming inactive or dead at night. Mixed
use is sometimes depicted in dark yellow or orange color, or a pattern of red hatch over yellow base or
blue hatch over yellow base depending upon the mix of land uses in that area.

Figure 7. A map showing various urban land uses

Public/Semi- Public land uses- These are the areas of facilities and services including Institutional areas
with educational and healthcare facilities, areas of entertainment and community gathering such as socio-
cultural and religious land uses, Govt./ Semi- Govt./ Public Offices, clerical services and others services
such as Post Office; Police Station; Fire Fighting Services; Care Centre for Elderly, Orphans, Physically/
Mentally challenged; Working women/ men hostel; Adult Education Centre; Night Shelter etc. Public/
Semi- Public land use is represented in Blue color as per Master Plan of Delhi- 2021 and in Red color as
per Town & Country Planning Organization, India.
Recreational uses- These are the areas of leisure in order to enhance the physical, social and mental well-
being of the community. It includes indoor or built recreational areas such Stadium/ Sports Complex/
Gymnasium etc. as well as open areas such as Parks & Playground for passive and active recreation.
Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation Guidelines 2014 has provided
the following hierarchy of parks and play grounds, and their areas depending upon the population served.
Further there are Gardens, Golf courses, Botanical gardens, Biodiversity parks, Zoos or other similar
areas. Multipurpose open space are provided for community activities such as cultural and religious
events. Green Belts are provided around the cities or certain sensitive uses with specific purpose of
resource protection, buffer, and aesthetic purposes. Others uses under recreational land use may include
trails, picnic areas, public fishing; etc. Recreational areas are represented in Green color. Different
hierarchies are represented in different shades/ textures of green.
Transportation- It includes the area under transportation networks and terminals in a city. Variation are
made based on the means and modes of transportation as well as passenger and goods movement. Roads
are further classified as National Highway, State Highway, District Roads, Village Roads, Arterial
Streets, Collector Streets, Local Streets, Service Roads and Cycle Tracks. Apart from networks, there are
bus stops, terminals, depots etc. In rail based transportation, there are railway lines, terminals, workshops
etc. Air based transportation includes Airport and other related activities. Water based transportation may
include the ferry, jetty and boat terminals. There can be Seaports in a coastal city. Dockyards, dry ports,
and freight complexes are goods transportation activities. Transportation is depicted in Black or Grey
color in a map. Various hierarchy of roads are represented in lines of different thickness in Red and Black
color.
Utilities/ Physical Infrastructure- These are the areas under transmission and communication based land
uses. Water supply networks, intake/ pumping and treatment facility, tank/ reservoir, wells and hand
pumps etc. Sanitation includes sewage/ waste water and drainage networks, treatment plant and disposal
points. Solid Waste collection centers (primary & secondary), dhalao, transfer stations; recycling and
treatment plants; landfill and disposal sites are also a part of utilities. Power supply network includes
power plant, sub-stations, transformers, and transmission lines. Energy networks includes the storage and
pumping stations, pipeline etc. Telecommunication towers and networks also form a part of the physical
infrastructure. The water supply pipelines are represented in cyan blue color, sewerage system pipelines
in brown color; and transmission and communication lines in dotted black line. Public utilities are
represented in brown color.
Others- Other land uses in a city may include agricultural land, dairies, pastures, horticulture,
floriculture, viticulture, and animal and poultry husbandry and accessory uses. There may be water bodies
including permanently flooded open water, rivers, canals, streams, drains and lakes excluding wetlands or
periodically flooded areas, and wetland areas as designated by the authority. Agricultural land is shown in
a map in green color with dotted pattern to differentiate from Recreational areas. Forests are depicted in
Dark green color. Water Bodies are represented in cyan blue color.
Density
Urban areas are spatially concentrated and dense entities. Population Density is the measure of number of
people per hectare area. Built- up density is the number of dwelling units per hectare. Gross density is
measured as total resident population in total city area. Net Residential Density is measured as total
resident population in residential land area excluding roads, open spaces, and other such uses. Density
norms have been given by various authorities in order to avoid congestion and provide equitable space per
person, access to basic infrastructure and safety factors. Density varies from city to city. Urban and
Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation Guidelines 2014 has fixed some standards
for Gross Population Density (town/ city density) in various hierarchy of urban settlements in plains and
hill areas.

Table 5. Norms for Gross Population Density (town/ city density) in urban areas
Settlement Type Gross Population Density (town/ city density) (Persons per
Hectare (PPH))
Plain Areas Hill Areas
Small Towns 75- 125 45-75
Medium Towns 100- 150 60-90
Large Cities 125- 175 60-90
Metropolitan Cities 125- 175 100-150
Megapolis More than 200 -
Source: URDPFI Guidelines, 2014

*Self-Evaluation:
 What are the major classifications of land use in urban areas?
Ans. Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Mixed Use, Public/ Semi- Public, Recreational, Utilities,
Transportation and Others
 In a land use map, which color is used to depict industrial land use?
Ans. Violet

8. Types of Urban Areas based on Characteristics

Over time, cities acquire a predominant character. Though it is not possible to tag a typical city, yet some
cities are envisioned to be identified on the predominant trait. Some popular categories, in order to
understand the cities better and plan for them, are as under:
Eco City- This term was first coined by Richard Register in Berkeley, California in 1975. An eco- city is
a city built from the principles of living within environment means. The ultimate goal of many eco-cities
is to eliminate all carbon waste (zero-carbon city), to produce energy entirely through renewable
resources, and to merge the city harmoniously with the natural environment; however, eco-cities also
have the intentions of stimulating economic growth, reducing poverty, using higher population densities,
and therefore obtaining higher efficiency, and improving health.
Inclusive City- Inclusive approach to city planning was initiated from World Programme for Action
concerning Disabled Persons in 1982. An inclusive city is a city in which the processes of development
include a wide variety of citizens and activities. These cities maintain their wealth and creative power by
avoiding marginalization, which compromises the richness of interaction upon which cities depend. By
including the otherwise marginalized in the productive activities and opportunities of the city, they offer
better access to pathways for social and economic betterment.
Healthy City- This concept was popularized by a WHO initiative in 1986. A healthy city is the one that
is continually creating and improving the physical and social environments and expanding community
resources which enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and
developing to their maximum potential. The approach seeks to put health high on the political and social
agenda of cities and to build a strong movement for public health at the local level. It strongly emphasizes
equity, participatory governance and solidarity, inter-sectoral collaboration and action to address the
determinants of health. Successful implementation of this approach requires innovative action addressing
all aspects of health and living conditions. The Healthy Cities approach recognizes the determinants of
health and the need to work in collaboration across public, private, voluntary and community sector
organizations. This way of working and thinking includes involving local people in decision-making,
requires political commitment and organizational and community development, and recognizes the
process to be as important as the outcomes.
Sustainable City- A sustainable city is a city that meets human development goals while sustaining the
ability of natural systems to continue to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which
the economy and society depends. This concept was derived from the 1987 Brundtland Report from the
United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). The idea of this
approach is to create the smallest possible ecological footprint, and to produce the lowest quantity
of pollution possible, to efficiently use land; compost used materials, recycle it or convert waste-to-
energy.
Smart City- A smart city is an urban development vision to integrate multiple information and
communication technology and solutions in a secure fashion to manage a city's assets to improve quality
of life, efficiency of services and meet residents' needs. The term was first used in 1990s by The
California Institute for Smart Communities. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used to
enhance quality, performance and interactivity of urban services, to reduce costs and resource
consumption and to improve contact between citizens and government.
Global City- This concept was popularized by sociologist Saskia Sassen in 1991. A global city is a city
generally considered to be an important node in the global economic system. A global city is a significant
production point of specialized financial and producer services that make the globalized economy run
where innovations in corporate services and finance have been integral to the recent restructuring of the
world-economy now widely known as globalization. New York, London, and Tokyo are typical
examples, but there are many more global cities than this.
Just City- A Just City is the one that incorporates three principles (democracy, diversity, and equity) into
the development and evaluation of public policy at the metropolitan level. The concept was theorized by
Susan S. Fainstein since 1999, published in 2010. She advocated that urban policy should be devoted to
justice for all residents, especially low-income people. A just city is planned, executed and managed with
all components of society in mind. New developments and policies should benefit the worse-off such that
they become better off. The concept of equitable planning is driven by a need to better all sections of
society to the benefit of all.
Green City- Green cities are defined as those that are environmentally friendly. Indicators measuring
environmental performance can include: levels of pollution and carbon emission, energy and water
consumption, water quality, energy mix, waste volumes and recycling rates, green-space ratios, forests,
and agricultural land. The Green City and promotion of green development recognize that cities are
dynamic, have limited resources, need resilient infrastructure (hard and soft), and are able to deliver the
quality of life benefits expected by its residents. It seeks to integrate environmental, social, and economic
considerations within development processes. It considers how to improve and manage the overall quality
and health of water, air, and land in urban spaces; its correlation with hinterlands and wider systems; and
the resultant benefits derived by both the environment and residents.
Safe City- The Safe City is a concept for returning security, safety and quality of life to today’s complex
cities through the use of technology, infrastructure, personnel and processes. The objective is to reinforce
personal safety and reduce fear by improving safety services and accountability to the community. It is a
new paradigm to fit modern cities and the rising cost of manpower; it combines the street patrolman’s
intuitive approach with state-of-the-art observation, communication and information management. This
concept can be applied to cities, towns, industrial parks, college campuses, or any other
physical environment where people require a safe, comfortable environment.
Energy efficient City- A city that operates on the power generated from renewable sources such as solar,
hydro, wind, geothermal, tidal, nuclear; and power generated from recycling of waste. The objective is to
reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower Carbon emissions. The energy efficient city reflects a
cellular model of self-reliant city based on the redesign of existing urban areas and the planning of new
urban expansions conducted with the effort to reduce electricity use and promote widespread integration
of renewable energy and smart grids. The application of this model aims to improve the global energy
performance of city making previsions of energy consumption patterns and renewable energy potential, in
new strategic expansion areas and exiting ones.
Cities may, and often do, display a mixed character. The above categories are mainly to emphasize the
predominant planning identity of the city.
*Self-Evaluation:

 This concept was Healthy City was popularized by an initiative in 1986 by?
Ans. World Health Organization (WHO)
 What are the three principles of Just City concept?
Ans. Democracy, Diversity & Equity

9. Summary

An urban area is a human settlement with high population density, infrastructure and dense built
environment. They are also referred to as cities, towns, outgrowths and urban agglomeration. Urban
areas are the places where people from different socio- cultural backgrounds gather, either by choice or
by circumstance, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of all its citizens.

Over time, urban areas have been defined from various perspectives. A city means different thing to a
sociologist, economist, ecologist, geographer or an urban planner. A planners’ perspective of urban
areas is more comprehensive taking all the social, economic, ecological and geographical aspects
together.

There are some distinct characteristics of urban areas in terms of physical, social, economic and
administrative aspects like places with high concentration of people and physical development in terms
of built form, networks and densities; complex with interconnectivity of economic, social, institutional
and environmental aspects; and dynamic and growing in terms of population, area, economy, activities,
built- up areas, facilities and services.

Also, the definition of ‘urban’ varies from country to country, and, with periodic reclassification, can
also vary within one country over time, making direct comparisons difficult. An urban area can be
defined by one or more of the following: administrative criteria or political boundaries, a threshold
population size, population density, economic function or the presence of urban characteristics.

The various components of a city are the people, structures, networks and supporting services; these
components are manifested spatially into land uses. There are certain categories of land uses in an
urban area on the basis of predominant use which are Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Mixed Use,
Public / Semi- Public, Recreational, Transportation, Utilities and Others

Over time, cities acquire a predominant character and some are envisioned to be identified on the
predominant trait such as eco city, inclusive city, healthy city, sustainable city, smart city, global city, just
city, green city, safe city and energy efficient city.

Annexure- I
Land use is accompanied by a ‘code’ depending upon the variety of sub- divisions required within each
land use category. The ‘Code’ could be alphabetic, numeric or both. Each land use is depicted by a color
in a land use map. Following are the codes, land use classification and color as given by Town and
Country Planning Organization (TCPO) (as per land use colour code of UK) and Master Plan of Delhi
2021 (as per land use colour code of US)
Table 6. Color coding for Urban Land Uses by different organizations
Town & Country Planning Organization (TCPO) Master Plan of Delhi (MPD)
Code. Land Use Graphic Color Code. Land Use Symbol
Symbol Symbol
100. Residential Residential
110. Primary Residential Zone RD. Residential Area
120. Mixed Residential Zone RF. Foreign Mission
130. Unplanned/ Informal
Residential Zone
200. Commercial Commercial
210. Retail Shopping Zone C1. Retail Shopping, General
Business & Commerce
220. General Business & District Centers DC
Commercial District/ Centers
230. Wholesale, Godowns, Community Center C
ware houses/ Regulated
Markets
Non- Hierarchical Commercial NC
Center
C2. Wholesale and ware houses W, WH1
Cold Storage & Oil depots D
C3. Hotels H
300. Industrial Industrial
310. Service Industry M1. Manufacturing, Service &
Repair Industry
320. Light Industry
330. Extensive Industry
340. Heavy Industry
350. Obnoxious/ Hazardous
Industry
400. Transport & Transportation
Communication
410. Roads T1. Airport
420. Railways T2. Terminal/ Depot-
Rail/MRTS/Bus/Truck
430. Airport T3. Circulation- Rail/ MRTS/
Road
440. Seaport & Dockyards
450. Bus depots/ Truck
Terminal/ Freight Complexes
460. Transmission &
Communications (Telephone
Exchange, TV station,
Broadcasting Station etc.)
600. Recreation Recreation
610. Playground/ Stadium/ P1. Regional Park
Sports Complex
620. Parks & Gardens- Public P2. City, District, Community
Open Space Park
630. Special recreational zone-
restricted open spaces
640. Multi-purpose Open
spaces
800. Special Areas No P3. Historical Monuments M
color
810. Old Built Up (Core)
Areas
820. Heritage & Conservation
Areas
830. Scenic Value Areas
840. Other Uses
500. Public & Semi Public Public & Semi Public
510. Govt./Semi-Govt./Public G1. President Estate &
Offices Parliament House
520. Govt. Land (Use G2. Govt. Offices/ Courts
undetermined)
G3. Govt. Land (Use
undetermined)
PS1. Education & Research, ER/U/UC/C
University, University College,
College
530. Education & Research Hospital H
540. Medical & Health Social cultural Complex/ Center SC
550. Social cultural & Religious R
Religious
Police Line/Headquarters, Fire P/F/DM
Station, Disaster Management
Center
PS2. Transmission site/ center TS/TC
PS3. Sports Facilities/ Center/
Complex/ Stadium
560. Utilities and services Utility
U1. Water (Treatment Plant etc.)
U2. Sewerage (Treatment Plant
etc.)
U3. Electricity (Power House,
Sub-Station etc.)
U4. Solid Waste (Sanitary
Landfill etc)
U5. Drain
570. Cremation and Burial Cremation and Burial grounds
grounds
700. Agricultural Land Agriculture/ Green Belt/ Water
Body
710. Agriculture A1. Plant Nursery
720. Forests A2. Agriculture/ Green Belt
730. Poultry & Dairy Farm
740. Rural settlements
750. Brick Kiln & Extractive
Areas
760. Water Bodies A3. River & Water Body
900. Vacant Land No Urbanisable Area
color
910. Built but un-occupied
920. Vacant under construction
930. Vacant developed but
unbuilt