Critical analysis of the planning of Chandigarh

By-Sthitapragyan Senapati

The scenario of India after independence was it needed a better planning for the cities to
improvise the status of the country and the people. The newly formed Punjab after the
partition needed a capital for a better developmental scenario. Thus, famous modern
architects across the world were brought to India to plan according to the climate and
governmental necessities. Chandigarh back then came as a perfect selection for the capital
of the state. Le- Corbusier started transforming the face of Chandigarh to be an image of the
post- independence era transformation of India.

But today after almost 70 years to the architectural revolution, it is really a debatable
subject that if at all le-Corbusier’s Chandigarh is a design to appreciate or depreciate and
discuss.

a. After India got its independence, there was a need of an identity to the independent
India. For which the concept of building cities in context of the modern era came into
the picture. But when it comes to the city planning of Chandigarh, no doubt it
addressed the cause in a very effective manner, but at the same time it never felt the
same again. The context and the cultural aspect were somewhere ignored in the
journey of building the city.
b. The city plan was conceived as post war ‘Garden City’ wherein vertical and high-rise
buildings were ruled out, keeping in view the living habits of the people.
c. Introducing the concept of organised urbanisation is highly recommendable. Le
Corbusier conceived the master plan of Chandigarh as analogous to human body,
with a clearly defined:
 Head (the Capitol Complex, Sector 1),
 Heart (the City Centre Sector-17),
 Lungs (the leisure valley, innumerable open spaces and sector greens),
 Intellect (the cultural and educational institutions),
 Circulatory system (the network of roads, the 7Vs) and
 Viscera (the Industrial Area).
d. The city of Chandigarh is planned to human scale. It puts us in touch with the infinite
cosmos and nature. It provides one with places and buildings for all human activities
by which the citizens can live a full and harmonious life.
e. He introduced the Hierarchy of Green Spaces which can be observed in the layout
ranging from Public Greens at City Level to Semi-Private to Private Green Areas.
f. Chandigarh was one of the first projects in India which had sectorisation of spaces.
Each SECTOR is a self-sufficient unit having shops, school, health centres and places
of recreations and worship.
g. Though the design was a magnificent example of a well thought city planning and it
also was considered to be the driving force for the years of architectural revolution
to come but somewhere I feel, the prime objective of promoting modern era
architecture in India has been misinterpreted to a larger extend.
h. But on a positive note the planning of Chandigarh was properly zoned and the
balance between the green and built up was greatly taken care of. Apart from that
creating flawless landscapes, recreational spaces and most importantly creation of
the lake are the examples of how the designers of Chandigarh have gone through
the minute details of urban design.