Town planning as a profession has great value in making cities and human settlements more qualitative, sustainable, livable, productive . Town planning is the only profession which deals holistically and comprehensively with the entire gamut of planning, development and management of human settlements. If this world is to be made more livable, qualitative and promoting the welfare of communities, environment. ecology, there exists no option but to go for town planning profession. Unfortunately role, importance and relevance of planning profession has not been understood, appreciated and the profession remains diluted and muted. It is time ripe enough to relook at the positivity of the profession and take it forward with commitment and sincerity, on the part of profession and professional planners. Profession needs to be revisited, reviewed and redefined to make it more rational, relevant and productive. PPT focuses on the entire gamut of planning profession as an career option.

1. Jit Kumar Gupta
Former Advisor- Town Planning- PUDA
jit.kumar1944@gmail.com
Opting for
Town
Planning as a
Career Option

2. TOWN PLANNING- Definition
-- Town planning defined differently by different experts - based on focus,
approach and understanding
-- Town Planning involves large number of subjects/ objects / stakeholders/
issues/options, as defined below;
• It is the art and science of planning human settlements to make them more productive
, effective, efficient, livable and sustainable besides providing optimum quality of life to
its residents.
• It is the art and science of sub-dividing land; allocating use to the sub-divided land
and defining what could be built on different parcels, based on the larger goals of
physical, socio- economic development of communities and individuals, making human
settlement as their preferred home
• It is the art and science of ordering the use of land and siting of buildings and
communication routes, so as to secure maximum degree of economy, convenience and
beauty
• Town planning is the planning and design of all the new buildings, roads, and parks in
a place, in order to make them attractive and convenient for the people who live
therein.
• Town Planning is the Comprehensive planning of the physical & social development
of a town,
• Aristotle --A city should be built to give its residents security and happiness--

3. TOWN PLANNING- ROLE & CONTEXT
Regional Planning / Urban Planning / Rural Planning revolves around;
• Land , land use, land development; infrastructure transportation, accessibility.
• Promoting Planned development of - Regions/ urban, sub-urban/ rural areas
• Making cities/towns/human settlements better places to live /work
• Focus on -People, communities, Society& State
• Promote Social, physical, economical sustainability
• Preserving environment; culture , art & Architecture,
• Town Planning remains an- Interdisciplinary field
• involving- Architecture; Civil Engineering ;
• Transportation, Infrastructures; Heritage ; Geography, History, Culture
Land Scaping, Technology; Sociology, Urban Design Environment
• Involves detailed studies/research / analysis; Strategic Thinking, Public consultation
• Focus of Government- Promoting Planned/orderly Urban/Rural Development
• Enormous potential in Indie with- 7933 cities; 6.41 lakh villages; 766 districts; 53 / 100
Metro cities- 1.6 billion people in 2050; 9-Ten million plus population cities by 2050 –

4. What Town Planning/ Planners do
• Considering Planning – as an art/science– it is involved in promoting planned development based on
sustainability, environment, community
• Planners Engage in -- Promoting Planned development @ State, Regions, Districts City, Township ,
Neighborhood
• Preparing-- Regional Plans, Master Plans, Metropolitan Plans, District Plans, New City
Plans, Neighbourhood Plans; Aero-City Plans
• Layout Plans /Zoning Plans-Commercial , Residential, Industrial Institutional area Plans
• Approval of all Building Plans; Selection/evaluation of sites for any land based real-Estate project
• Planning – require/hold extensive knowledge/ insight /understanding of human settlements-- defining
future of city or town.
• Planning– Provide space for private /public sectors – to work in a variety of institutions- including:
• State/ National Town Planning Departments; Urban Development Authorities, ULBs, Housing Boards,
Improvement Trusts, Marketing Boards; Metropolitan Authorities, Industries Department,
• Provide option for working in
• Transport Planning
• ;Urban planning
• Environmental Planning;
• Conservation
• Rural planning
• Planning law

5. TOWN PLANNING-Key Functions
Major functions performed by Town Planners/ Town Planning Departments generally include:
• Providing technical advice on matters related to urban planning and development
• Aiding, assisting , advising - state government/ development authorities/urban local
bodies/industrial corporations- in policy formulation / implementing programs related to
planning of human settlements
• Identifying planning areas for- preparing regional plans / master plans /development plans /
zonal / zoning plans at region / settlement levels including Preparing existing land-use plans
• Prepare Building Bye Laws,
• Sanctioning building plans for various buildings coming up in human settlements- regulating
construction on defined site.
• Co-ordinating activities of various stake holders involved in urban planning
• Preparing Traffic Operation /Transportation / Mobility Plans
• Ensuring planned development of human settlements
• Framing policies / programs related to- Involving private sector in urban planning /
infrastructure development
• Regulating development and checking haphazard development in accordance with
provisions of various statutes/development plans
• Assist in selecting sites for setting up new towns/industrial areas / SEZ / institutions etc.

6. Town Planning
-Objectives

7. TOWN PLANNING- Objectives
Objectives of Town planning profession remain;
• Promoting larger public interest
• Planning for people- promoting their heath &happiness
• Promoting assured quality of life of all the residents
• Promoting human welfare irrespective of cast, creed,
age, sex, financial status
• Creating enabling environment to facilitate
meeting of basic human need - living, working,
• Taking care of body & spirit and circulation.
• Promoting healthy living conditions
• Ensuring health, convenience and beauty
• Protecting, Preserving and promoting environment,
• Improving public health, safety and security
• Making available basic amenities/services/infrastructures
• Increasing choices to each/every citizen- living, working, leisure, growth
• Respect nature, bio-diversity, culture, art, architecture and natural elements

8. • Minimizing adverse impact of physical development.
• Making human settlements sustainable/livable
• Creating opportunities for gainful employment
• Eliminating poverty
• Minimizing mobility & promote accessibility
• Preserving Resources-natural/non-renewal
• Making optimum use of land /other resource
• Promoting, protecting and preserving heritage–both natural and manmade
• Creating Value/Commitment/ownership for the city
• Making cities supportive of Environment/Ecology/Bio-diversity
• Making Cities operationally effective, efficient more productive
• Rationalizing Traffic &Transportation
• Promoting Co-ordinated development of Urban& Rural Settlement
• Planning with nature-using Natural Elements- Sun, Space, Greenery
• Making Human Settlements/Communities- Inclusive, Resilient, Safe, Sustainable
• Conducting Surveys for-- ascertaining facts on different activities – both in quantity and quality.
TOWN PLANNING- Objectives

9. Town Planning
-Planning of Human Settlements

10. TOWN PLANNING- Planning of human settlements
• ;Town planning involves/includes- Planning of Human Settlements based on;
• Carrying out detailed study of settlement- physical/ social
• Mapping historical perspective, growth/ development.
• Understanding basic fabric of the human settlements
• Identifying physical, demography; socio-economic features
• Mapping Specialized characteristics &past growth trends,
• Carrying out physical, social, economic, environmental study of settlements
• Preparing land use mapping-planning areas, administrative boundaries, physical features,
• Mapping Morphology/topography, of built up area, vacant areas, different land uses, slums,
• Identifying Industries, commercial nodes, institutions/institutional areas, parks/open spaces,
• Locating Amenities/facilities, protected/forest areas, road network, service network,
transportation nodes etc.
• Conducting Detailed Surveys/studies/analysis for-- ascertaining facts on different activities –
both in quantity and quality.
• Identifying problems, issues, road-blocks in rational growth/development
• Carrying out SWOT analysis of human settlement,

11. TOWN PLANNING – Planning of Human settlements
• Involving communities/stakeholders- Holding wider
periodic consultation - for ascertaining - vision, priorities,
issues and options
• Making informal sector - integral part of planning process
and catering to their specific requirements
• Defining vision/mission for human settlements
• Estimating future population - living in next two
decades.
• Defining Road map for future growth and Development
• Preparing framework for promoting planned
development.
• Preparing proposed land use Plan.
• Defining norms/standards for amenities/ services/
infrastructures/amenities to be developed
• Preparing detailed report on studies made, problems
identified, analysis carried out and conclusion drawn
• Making Human settlements & Communities- Safe,
Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable.

12. Town Planning- Making Planet Earth
More Sustainable; Inclusive, Safe , Resilient,
Qualitative ; Livable; Productive;

13. Town Planning -Supporting/ implementing SDG 11- Making
Cities/human settlements-inclusive, safe, resilient, sustainable

14. • A. Promoting Planning based on;
• Reflecting people's aspiration.
• Ensuring highest quality of life.
• Ensuring rational distribution of Population.
• Rationalizing /optimizing use of land
• Eliminating non- compatible land uses.
• Eliminating subjectivity in decision making.
• Defining holistic vision for the human settlement.
• Defining future structure/ shape /size of the city.
• Defining location of different land uses, amenities, services etc.
• Defining hierarchy of all activities/uses - commercial, infrastructure, health care, education etc.
• Making human living more qualitative, operationally more effective/efficient/productive
• Rationalizing growth & development of both -urban and rural areas
• Creating self – contained/ self-sustaining communities.
• Making informal sector integral part of the planning process
• Defining land uses for existing and future population
• Defining future population for quantification of different land uses
• Defining direction of future growth of the city
• Preparing framework for the growth and development of the Regions/city/Villages – Regional Plans /Master plan / Village
development plans/layout plans/zoning/zonal plans;
• Preparing Metropolitan Development Plans and District Development Plans- based on 73rd & 74th constitutional
Amendment Act
TOWN PLANNING- Context- Planned Development

15. TOWN PLANNING-Context –Development, Land
• B. Development
• Promoting Planned/orderly Development of human settlements
• Eliminating unplanned, haphazard, sub-standard development.
• Taking care of current/future development of settlement.
• Promoting development based on a pre-defined planning framework
• Promoting development based on need and not on greed
• Promoting Sustainable Development
• Promoting Inclusive development
C. Land
• Treating Land as gift of nature and not as a commodity to be traded
• Rationalizing/ Optimizing use of available land- opting for Compact development
• Eliminating misuse/abuse of land – Carrying out Land audit
• Carrying out land suitability analysis for determining suitability of land for development
• Providing land for different uses on prescribed norms and standards
• Making land market more effective and efficient
• Making available land at right cost in right quantity in right place and right time
• Minimizing conversion of land from agriculture to non-agricultural uses
• Promoting development of derelict land and making value addition to available land resource
• Using derelict land for urban development .Avoiding agriculturally rich land for urban development

16. TOWN PLANNING –Housing; Amenities
• D. Housing
• Eliminating slums; Making cities slum free
• Providing adequate space for housing - present and future
• Promoting affordable housing
• Earmarking adequate space for informal housing.
• Ensuring housing for all the residents of the city
• Promoting all basic amenities/services in the residential area
• Creating self-contained communities
• Promoting multiple options for housing
• Planning for rental housing/ transit housing
E. Amenities& Facilities
• Identifying /quantifying different amenities/facilities in the city
• Defining norms and standards for different amenities / facilities
• Identifying existing gaps between demand and supply
• Overcoming existing deficiencies in infrastructure
• Mapping healthcare/education/entertainment facilities
• Ensuring rational spatial distribution of amenities / facilities across city - both quantitative /qualitative
• Avoiding concentration /absence of amenities and facilities at different places
• Defining network for amenities/facilities ; Planning for circular economy cities/Zero-waste cites
• Defining sourcing of water/ electricity etc. • Identifying space for disposal of both-solid and liquid waste

17. TOWN PLANNING- Traffic and Transportation
F. Traffic &Transportation
•Minimizing Travel/Traffic /travel demand/trip length
• Promoting accessibility rather than mobility
• Planning for people not vehicles
• Making traffic/ transportation integral art of settlement planning
• Rationalizing traffic and transportation- Mixed landuse, shape, size of City
• Segregating inter and intra-city traffic- making travel safe
• Mapping existing problems of mobility- minimizing points of conflicts
• Creating multiple options for traffic and transportation -both in short-term/ long-term perspective
• Identifying critical areas of congestion/accidents/delays/pollution
• Defining policy options for parking
• Re-ordering priority of traffic planning with maximum focus on pedestrianization and least focus on
individual cars
• Creating options for mass transportation/ walking/cycling
• Adopting integrated approach for transportation- multiple options for trave -ensuring last mile
connectivity
• Integrating transportation network/node

18. TOWN PLANNING- Environment; Economy
G. Environment
• Conserving, Preserving, Protecting and Making value addition to environment
• Making city environmentally vibrant
• Mapping existing status of environment
• Identifying sources of pollution.
• Specifying options for minimizing pollution.
•Promoting green cover; on specified norms/standards.
• Identifying/preserving environmentally sensitive areas
• Identifying/developing derelict areas in city
• Identifying /Preserving/Promoting existing water bodies
• Creating city forests for greening/water bodies for cooling
H. Economy
• Making city economically vibrant
• Leveraging planning for Generating employment
• Creating opportunities for both skill/unskilled manpower
• Promoting economy/economic development • Making urban development self-sustainable/self-reliant
• Generating resources for infrastructure development
• Creating enabling environment to attract investment; Generating Resources for development/infrastructures

19. TOWN PLANNING-Heritage, Villages
I. Heritage
• Identifying /mapping existing heritage
• Classifying heritage depending upon importance
• Suggesting strategies/ roadmap for preservation/conservation/promotion of heritage
• Framing schemes/framework for the heritage development
• Making heritage development integral part of planning process
• Making heritage conservation mass/community movement
• Evolving specific legal framework for heritage areas/zones.
J Villages
• Identifying villages within planning area
• Identifying villages falling in urbanisable area
• Identifying villages falling in urban areas
• Making villages falling in master plan area, integral part of urban planning process
• Defining specific strategies for villages- based on the study made /analysis carried out
• Integrating Urban- Rural Planning- Regional Planning/Metropolitan/District Planning

20. TOWN PLANNING- ;Phasing
K Phasing
• Quantifying cost of city development
• Dividing development into pre-defined distinct phases
• Phasing based on a timeframe of 5 years periods-
- depending upon population projection;
- area defined for development
- Phasing based on
- economy,
--integration,
--making optimum use of available resources/services;
-- area/population to be served.
-Promoting Integrated development
- Area deficient in Infrastructure
- Status of Development

21. Town Planning- Making Planet Earth
More Sustainable; Using Planning Options

24. Sustainable Cities

28. Town Planning- Focus of Government -
Priority Sector for Central; State Government –Niti Ayog

30. Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity-Niti Ayog
1. Programmatic Intervention for Planning of Healthy Cities: --
Besides 100 Smart cities; Every city to become a ‘Healthy City for All’
by 2030 – Launching Scheme to make ‘500 Healthy Cities Programme’,
for a period of 5 years- Rurban Mission- Master Plans of 65% cities yet
to be prepared
2. Rationalizing Building Bye-laws for Optimum Utilization of Urban
Land: ‘Preparation/Revision of Development Control Regulations’
3. Sourcing Human Resources in Town Planning Deptts.: Combating
shortage-
a) expedite filling up of vacant positions of town planners- 3945 sanctioned
posts b) additionally sanction 8268 town planners’ posts for a minimum
period of 3/ 5 years..
4. Ensuring Qualified Professionals to Undertake Urban Planning:
5. Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts: .
6. Enhancing Role of Private Sector- Planning ; Urban Development

31. Town Planning- Way Forward

32. TOWN PLANNING- Looking Forward
• Town Planning-- Originated at dawn of Civilization
• Will Continue– remain/ relevant till human beings will live on this earth.
• Town planning not Valued / given due recognition in planning/development
of human settlements
• Qualified planners largely missing from Majority of agencies involved in
planning/development of human settlements
• Majority of ills facing the urban areas can be attributed to non-involvement of
town planners in planning, development and management of cities
• Limited Deployment of Planners - development authorities/ Ulb- leading to;
• mushrooming /haphazard growth/development of human settlements.
• Causing enormous financial loss to communities, cities / nations.
• Adversely impacting communities/poor/marginalized sections
• Making cities unsafe/unhealthy/ less efficient/ less productive
• Causing loss to economy /employment.
• Promoting unsustainability- global warming. Climate change
• Planned Development is known to make-
• cities happy, healthy, more productive, sustainable and
• better place to live in & work

33. TOWN PLANNING- Looking Forward
• Town Planning-as a profession- offers unlimited scope – in employment/placement- -
co-terminus with genesis, growth, development ; management of human settlements.
• SDGs-- recognizes critical role of Town Planning in making cities sustainable/livable.
• Town Planning- only profession - looking holistically at integrated physical, socio-
economic planned growth , development of human settlements.
• Town Planning- only profession which brings expertise from architecture, engineering
and social sciences on same platform for its learning and practice
• Town Plnning – offers enormous employment opportunities in Government and Private
sector.
• Role of Government agencies getting enlarged due to rapid urbanization-
• More cities and more development Authorities will require large manpower trained in
the art and science of Town planning
• All urban local bodies will need the support of town planning profession for its
development
• All development authorities/Improvement Trusts/Housing Board/Industrial
Development Corporations ; essentially depend upon the wisdom of the town planners
for its growth and development
• Missions launched by GOI- PMAY, AMTUT, NuLM, Ru-Uban Mission, Smart Cities
Mission, invariably need services of town planners for achieving the desired goals
• Professional Planners – needed/preferred as trainers in capacity building for
Stakeholders, officials, elected representatives
• Preparation/Revision of Regional Plans/Master Plans/Development plans need
services/expertise of planning profession- only 40% cities covered under Master plans

34. TOWN PLANNING- Looking Forward
• All state training institutes- STI- includes/involve town planners as faculty
• RERA- offers options for being appointed as Members and staff positions
• Private sector offers enormous opportunities of employment and placement- due
to large involvement in real estate sector
• All leading Real estate companies deploy Town Planners for Planning jobs
• Leading multinationals/national agencies engaged in planning, designing and
managing human settlements invariably need services of planners
• Colonies in private sector cannot be made a reality without involving town
planners
• Growing field of Planning education- is increasing employment opportunities in
large number of planning schools opening in the country
• Undertaking Revision of legal framework/building bye-laws, development
controls- require services of urban planners
• Niti Ayog Report on - Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity buildings in India- has
already highlighted the growing shortage of professional planners in the country-
recommended filling of 3945 existing sanctioned posts besides creating additional
8268 posts of town planners for a minimum period of 3/ 5 years.- making in all
12213 posts
• Involving/focusing Town planning in Rural Planning – which stands ignored in the parlance
of planning- can usher an era of unending employment/placement opportunities for the
planning professionals

35. TOWN PLANNING- Sustainable Development
• Marginalization of town planning profession-- major cause
promoting poverty, unemployment /poor quality of Life existing
locally/Globally
• With India on cusp of rapid/massive urbanization,
• Cities must use professional services of town planners
on large scale
• Nation needs to create pool of professionals/dedicated
State cadre of town planners.
• However, planning profession needs review/ redefinition/
empowerment for making it;
• More Vibrant/ Effective /Efficient Responsive/focused to
environment/communities
• More professional- rather than becoming a Business
• More Transparent- Promoting objectivity rather than
subjectivity in decision making
• More Ethical -in practice, thoughts, actions, decision
• More Productive- by reviewing/ redefining planning tools

36. TOWN PLANNING- Sustainable Development
• More Responsive- Integrating Planning Education and Planning practice
realistically/rationally-- promoting interface between industry and academics-
• More professional- Making Planning Education more qualitative
/professional/productive/More Responsive- promoting public interest rather
than personal interest
• Making Profession/ More Responsive- to the needs of community/nature
• Making it More Futuristic- defining/mapping more accurately future tends of
population growth and employment opportunities in the state.
To achieve the above agenda- Profession needs to be made more
compact, well-knit, scientific, professional-to empower it and make
it more responsive to the ever growing urban dynamism .
• It must be understood/ appreciated that- Cities/human settlements are -always
evolving, devolving, never static and never finite- and accordingly planning
profession has also to remain dynamic to remain rational and relevant.
• Planning profession must graduate and elevate to assume the leadership role
by becoming a Think Tank- for the National/ State Governments in the domain
of Managing planned development of human settlements; achieving agenda
defined under 17SDGs; Making cities more inclusive, safe, Resilient;

38. Capacity and Capability of Creating Realistic/Rational Options for Making
Planet Earth - Sustainable/ More Livable ; Making Cities/Human Settlement
- more responsive/sustainable/livable/eco-friendly/Qualitative/Productive
will pose the greatest threat/challenge and offer greatest opportunities
which will define the Efficacy, Efficiency, desirability, relevance, role and
importance of the Town Planning Profession in the years to come