Presentation

on

Evolution of Towns
(World level / India level)

CE – 631 Fundamentals of Urban Planning

Semester I
M.Tech. (Urban Planning)

Prepared by
NIRDESH SHAH
(P19UP011)

Guided by:
Dr. J.E.M. Macwan

P.G. Section ( Urban Planning )

Civil Engineering Department
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat
2019-20
 Contents :

• Introduction

• Evolution of Town
• Five hearths of Urbanization
• Evolution of towns in India
• Summary
• References
 Introduction :

• Evolution – The process by which different kinds of

living organism are believed to have developed from
earlier forms during the history of earth.
• Town – Human settlement
• So, this presentation is based on how towns are
developed from ancient era to present era.
 Evolution of town :
• Nomads – Hunting and Gathering

• Neolithic revolution - agriculture revolution

• It was the wide-scale transition from hunting and gathering to

agriculture and settlement.

• Agriculture is believed to be a pre-requisite for cities which help

preserve surplus production and create economies of scale.

• Agriculture made denser human population and food surplus leads to

travel and trade.

 Evolution of town :
• A good environment includes clean water and favorable climate for
growing crop and strong social life is required for the formation of
successful city. So, people started living near river.

• There are different types of cities in ancient era

– Political city

– Religious city

– Trade city

• The very first cities were found in Mesopotamia after the neolithic
revolution, around 7500 BCE.
 Five hearth of urbanization:
• Mesopotamia
• Nile river valley civilization
• Indus river valley civilization
• Huang - Wei river valley civilization
• Mesoamerica
Fig.1 Five hearth of urbanization
Fig. 2 Time period of ancient civilization
 Mesopotamia:
• Mesopotamia is agreek word meaning, “Land between the rivers.”

• It is a historical region situated within the Tigris-Euphrates river

system. (at present – Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and Turkey)
• Great cities – Uruk, Akkad, Assur and Babylon

• Mesopotamia is often called the place where the history began.

• They used sun-dried bricks to construct structures. So, very little of
ancient Mesopotamian cities still stand.
 Nile river valley civilization:
• The Nile river valley civilization started at the northern most peak of
the Nile river.
• The civilization was able to grow into Egypt and surrounding area.
• The Nile would flood each year starting in July and lasting until
November. This flood would provide new, rich soil for the
Egyptians and would wash away waste.
• Mummification, Pyramids, Medicine and Egyptian religion were
grown in that period.
 Indus river valley civilization:
• It was located on the bank of river Indus and Ravi.
• Harappa and Mohenjodaro were the first cities of Indus-valley civilization.
• Today, it is in Pakistan and northwest India.
• Row of houses were there.
• They dependent fully on ventilation and roof lightning.
• City has effective system of drainage.
• Settlement pattern :
– Mohenjodaro : Grid pattern
– Harappa : Dispersed pattern
Fig. 3 Harrapa

Fig. 4 Mohenjo daro

Fig. 5 Indus valley civilization
 Huang - Wei river valley civilization:

• China’s history began from Huang – He valley.

• It is in china and is located between the yellow (Huang-He) and

Yangtze (Chang Jiang) rivers.
• It is also called yellow river valley due to yellow soil particles in the
river.
 Mesoamerica (Maya Civilization):
• Maya cities were subject to irregular expansion, with the haphazard
development of palaces, temples and other buildings.
• Most Maya cities tended to grow outwards from the core. It had a
ceremonial and administrative centre surrounded by a vast irregular
sprawl of residential complexes.
• The ceremonial centre of the Maya city was where the ruling king
lived, and where the administrative functions of the city were
performed, together with religious ceremonies.
 Mesoamerica (Maya Civilization):
• It was also where the inhabitants of the city gathered for public
activities.
• Elite residential complexes occupied the best land around the city
centre, while commoners had their residences dispersed further
away from the ceremonial centre.
• Residential units were built on top of stone platforms to raise them
above the level of the rain season floodwaters.
 Evolution of towns in India:
• Ancient period
– Indus valley civilisation
– Vedic period ( vaastu shashtra )
– Buddhist period
• Medieval period
– Mughal period
– Pre – Independence period
• Modern period
– Post – Independece period
 Vedic Period :
• In this period, Vedas as well as books were wrote on town planning.

• In “Vishwa – karmaprakash” it was stated that first layout the towns

and then plan the houses.
• The main roads were aligned east-west to get the roads purified by
air.
• Moats were all around the town to seure the town for outside forces.
• Rajmarg was the widest road through which four elephants can pass
at a time.
 Buddhist Period :
• During the period of emperor Chandragupta Maurya, Kautilya and
Chanakya was the chief minister who wrote the famous
“Arthashastra”, a treatise of town planning.
• Takshashila and Nalanda were formed n this period.
• During Buddhist period, the Mauryan Empire were developed cities
with stupas, viharas and temples.
• The greatest example of stupas is the great Sanchi Stupa.
 Medieval Period :
• Trade and commerce were developed in that period.

• Towns along the main routes of travel and by river-side had trade in
food grains, cloth, carpets and several other handicrafts.
• In this period, Mughal dynasty was there in India.
• Cities like Agra and Delhi were developed in that period.

• Moghal Garden, Red fort and Kutub Minar were developed by

Mughal emperors.
 Pre - Independence Period :
• Britishers built their colonies on the outskirts of existing towns due
to unhygienic conditions.
• That were called ‘Cantonments’ and ‘Barracks’ for millitary
occupied areas and ‘civil lines’ for the residents of civilians.
• They developed hill-stations due to hot climate of India.
• From that period, industrial areas were separated from the
residential areas.
• The arrival of railways accelerated migration and it resulted in urban
growth with high density.
 Post - Independence Period :
• After independence, a large number of towns
were developed as administration
headquarters and industrial centeres.
• Chandigarh and Gandhinagar were planned in
this period.
• Many industrial cities like Durgapur (steel
town), Jamshedpur, Bhilai, Rourkela were
developed.

Fig. 14 Chandigarh Planning

 Summary:
• The town planning one in ancient time was centre based.

• The roads were having N-S alignment.

• The new cities are planned in such a manner that all the industrial
units are on the outskirts.
• Development of town is done in such a way that natural beauty is
maintained.
• Social, cultural and religious values were taken care while planning.

• Circulation inside the town and outside was provided from all side.
• The arrival of the railways, urban growth was accelerated.
 References:
• A. R. Gallion & S. Eisner (2005), “The Urban Pattern”, CBS
Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
• G. K. Hiraskar (2008), ‘Fundamentals of town Planning”,
Dhanpatrai publication, New Delhi.
• M. Muthumari & V. Zafar Ahmed, “History”, Tamilnadu Text Book
Corporation – Chennai – 2007
• V. K. Agnihotr (2005), “Indian history”, Allied publishers,
Tamilnadu
Thank you…