Problems in metropolitan cities by vakharia_siddhi

I
SARVAJANIK EDUCATION SOCIETY
SARVAJANIK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
SURAT affiliated with
Gujarat Technological University
AHMEDABAD
P. G. CENTER IN
FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
Graduate Report on
“PROBLEMS IN METROPOLITAN AREA”
In the partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of degree of
MASTER OF ENGINEERING (TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING) – I
SEMESTER – II
Under the subject of
SMART METROPOLITAN PLANNING
(Course code : 3724815)
Prepared by:
VAKHARIA SIDDHI R. (180420748023)
M. E. (TCP) – I, Semester – II
Under the guidance of
Prof. Zarana H. Gandhi
Ad – Hoc Assistant Professor, FCE, SCET
Prof. Palak S. Shah
Ad – Hoc Assistant Professor, FCE, SCET
(MAY, 2019)

II
Faculty of Civil Engineering
SARVAJANIK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, SURAT
(2018 - 19)
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the work being presented in this Graduate Report on ―Problems in
Metropolitan Area‖ by VAKHARIA SIDDHI R. Semester – II, ME (Town & Country
Planning) - I bearing Enrolment No. : 180420748023 respectively submitted to the Faculty of
Civil Engineering at Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat; is an
authentic record of our own work carried out during the period of even semester 2018-2019
under the supervision of and Ad-Hoc Assistant Prof. Zarana H. Gandhi and Ad-Hoc Assistant
Prof. Palak S. Shah.
______________________
(Name & Sign of the Candidate)
VAKHARIA SIDDHI R.
(Enrolment No.: 180420748023)

III
Faculty of Civil Engineering
SARVAJANIK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY,
SURAT
(2018-19)
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Graduate Report entitled “PROBLEMS IN METROPOLITAN
AREA” is presented under the Course work of SMART METROPOLITAN PLANNING
(COURSE CODE : 3724815) and report is submitted by VAKHARIA SIDDHI R.
(Enrolment No: 180420748023) of 2nd
Semester for partial fulfilment of requirement for the
degree of MASTER OF ENGINEERING IN TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING of
Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat during the academic year 2018-
2019.
______________________ ____________________ ______________________
Prof. Zarana H. Gandhi Prof. Palak S. Shah Prof. (Dr.) Jigar K. Sevalia
Ad-Hoc Assistant Ad-Hoc Assistant Faculty & Head
Professor (FCE) Professor (FCE) Faculty of Civil Engineering
External Examiner
Date: _____________
Place: _____________

SMART METROPOLITAN PLANNING (3724815) 2018-19
Problems in Metropolitan Area
(Vakharia Siddhi R. - 180420748024)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 General.................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Urban Agglomeration (UA):...................................................................................................... 1
2. Characteristics of Metropolitan Area ......................................................................................... 5
2.1 The amount of the total population ......................................................................................... 5
2.2 Economic activity..................................................................................................................... 5
2.3 Mobility of people’s activities .................................................................................................. 5
2.4 Structure Regions .................................................................................................................... 6
3. Major Problems of Metropolitan Cities in India.......................................................................... 7
3.1 Urban Sprawl: .................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Overcrowding .................................................................................................................... 8
3.3 Housing.............................................................................................................................. 9
3.4 Unemployment.................................................................................................................. 9
3.5 Slums and Squatter Settlements ............................................................................................ 10
3.6 Transport............................................................................................................................... 11
3.7 Water ................................................................................................................................... 12
3.8 Sewerage Problem................................................................................................................. 13
3.9 Trash Disposal........................................................................................................................ 13
3.10 Urban Crime ........................................................................................................................ 14
3.11 Urban Pollution.................................................................................................................... 14
4. Concluding Remark.................................................................................................................. 15
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................... 16

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 General
The word metropolitan comes from metropolis, which in Greek means mother city,
made up of meter meaning mother, and polis meaning city.
Metropolitan is a term used to describe a relatively large urban area, both of the size of
area, population, and the scale of economic and social activity. While the etymology,
said metropolitan (noun) or metropolis (adjective) is derived from the Ancient Greek
language, which the word meter means mother, and the word polis means city.
(Wackerman, 2000)
The State Govt. /Central Govt. Administration does not recognize the term ‗metropolitan
city‘. However the Central Government in 1994 fir teh first time categorized 6 major
cities of India as ‗Mega Cities‘ defining these as cities having 50 lakhs or more
population. These were Mumbai. Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. It
was basically done to bring these under Mega City Funding Project.
However, going by Official or legalese, a City and its Agglomeration has been for the
first time recognized in the Indian Constitution. The Constitution Amendment Act,1992
(74th
CAA)(popularly known as „Nagarpalika Act‟) defines a metropolitan area as an
contiguous area (with a principal city as the main civic entity ) with 10 lakhs (1 Million)
or more and consisting of two or more Municipalities or Panchayats or other contiguous
area. Similarly, there is no distinction followed in respect of a metropolitan area and
metropolitan region. Both are synonymous. There is one difference though. In case of
India, while there are 12 Metropolitan Regions as per 2011 Census, and there are
46 metropolitan cities in India, all of these have Development Authorities and 6 Urban
Agglomerations that need to be classified as Metropolitan areas
However, on the other hand, we have a total of 54 Urban Agglomerations ( and not all
of these have Development Authorities) per 2011 Census (that include the above-
mentioned 12 ‗Metropolitan Areas/regions‘) that are ‗metropolitan areas‘ going by the
definition in the Constitution of India and their status as metropolitan areas accordingly
changed by the respective States.
1.2 Urban Agglomeration (UA): [As per census 2011]
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 as per the 2001 Census. In varying local 2 | P a g e conditions, there
were similar other combinations which have been treated as urban agglomerations
satisfying the basic condition of contiguity. Examples: Greater Mumbai UA, Delhi UA,
etc.

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Figure 1 Metropolitan Regions

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Cities with populations of 10 lakhs and above are referred to as the ‗Million Plus
Cities‘. This is based on the latest Census of 2011. Out of these 46 Metropolitan Cities
in India, 8 of them are considered as ‗Mega Cities‘. The remaining 38 are considered as
‗Million Plus Cities‘.
Figure 2 Million Plus Cities as per cencus 2001

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Table 1.1 List of top 10 Metropolitan/Urban Agglomeration Areas:
(As per census 2011)
Rank Metropolitan Area Population Area (in km2
)
1
Central Capital Region
(Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh)
Only Delhi
27,735,000
16,349,831
2,163
2
Mumbai Metropolitan Region 18,384,000 4,354
3
Kolkata Metropolitan Region 14,720,000 1,851
4
Chennai Metropolitan Area 8,653,521 1,189
5
Bangalore Metropolitan Region 8,520,167 8,005
6
Hyderabad Metropolitan Region 7,674,000 7,257
7
Ahmedabad Metropolitan Area 6,361,084 8,107
8
Pune Metropolitan Area 7,276,000 7,256
9
Surat Metropolitan Area 4,691,246 4,418
10
Kanpur Metropolitan Area 2,920,496 8,231
These first 8 are known as „Mega Metropolitan Ciries‟

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2. Characteristics of Metropolitan Area
The characteristics of the Metropolitan of several aspects such as the amount of
population, economic activities, mobility, activities of the population, and the structure
of the region.
2.1 The amount of the total population
The magnitude of population becomes a major consideration in determining the aspects
of the definition of a metropolitan. However, some urban experts set different limits for
the determination of the minimum number of metropolitan area population.
2.2 Economic activity
In the metropolitan area occurs agglomeration residential areas and jobs. That is, the
metropolitan area is an urban area with a specializing in social and economic activities
function. The economic specialization is the industrial and services sectors. Industrial
activities and services is the dominant sector in the growing metropolitan region.
Economic activities that take place in the metropolitan area is heterogeneous and has a
role as a central / centre of economic activities on a regional scale, both within the
province or state and national scope. Metropolitan supposedly able to play a role and
function in accordance with its share in national economic development. On the other
hand, the role of the national economy must be balanced with the metropolitan economy
comparable level and is able to also write a decent life for the citizens of the metropolitan
community itself.
Metropolitan should be able to create jobs and income level sufficient for people to be
able to survive and even enjoy life in the metropolitan environment. The income levels
are generally far exceeds the metropolitan cities and other areas as well as rural, and the
main attraction for the current metropolitan population who are looking for work and a
decent life.
Surely there must be taken into account that the level of public spending in general
metropolitan also much higher than the city and other areas.
2.3 Mobility of people‟s activities
One characteristic of the metropolitan area is shown in the form of ease of mobility by
Angotti (1993) seen in 3 forms (Winarso et al, 2006), namely:
a. Occupational mobility (mobility Employment)
b. Housing Mobility (Residential Mobility)
c. Mobility trip (Trip Mobility)

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2.4 Structure Regions
Broadly speaking there are two kinds of physical form metropolis that shapes the
metropolis spread (dispersed) and the shape of the metropolis centred (concentrated). To
spread the metropolis consists of the metropolis spreads and galactic metropolis. As for
the centralized metropolis comprises centred metropolis, metropolitan and metropolitan
ring star.

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3. Major Problems of Metropolitan Cities in India
Although India is one of the less urbanized countries of the world with only 27.78 per
cent of her population living in urban agglomerations/towns, this country is facing a
serious crisis of urban growth at the present time. Whereas urbanization has been an
instrument of economic, social and political progress, it has led to serious socio-
economic problems.
The sheer magnitude of the urban population, haphazard and unplanned growth of urban
areas, and a desperate lack of infrastructure are the main causes of such a situation. The
rapid growth of urban population both natural and through migration, has put heavy
pressure on public utilities like housing, sanitation, transport, water, electricity, health,
education and so on.
Some of the major problems in Metropolitan Areas are;
1. Urban Sprawl
2. Overcrowding
3. Housing
4. Unemployment
5. Slums and Squatter Settlements
6. Transport
7. Water
8. Sewerage Problems
9. Trash Disposal
10. Urban Crimes
11. Problem of Urban Pollution
3.1 Urban Sprawl:
Urban sprawl or real expansion of the cities, both in population and geographical area, of
rapidly growing cities is the root cause of urban problems. In most cities the economic
base is incapable of dealing with the problems created by their excessive size. Massive
immigration from rural areas as well as from small towns into big has taken place almost
consistently; thereby adding to the size of cities.
The first large flow of migration from rural to urban areas was during the ―depression‖ of
late 1930s when people migrated in search of jobs. Later, during the decade 1941-51,
another a million persons moved to urban places in response to wartime industrialisation
and partition of the country in 1947.
During 1991-2001, well over 20 million people migrated to cities. The greatest pressure
of the immigrating population has been felt in the central districts of the city (the old city)
where the immigrants flock to their relatives and friends before they search for housing.
Population densities beyond the ―old city‖ decline sharply.
Brush (1968) has referred to this situation in the central parts of the cities as ―urban
impulsion‖ which results from concentration of people in the centre of the city close to

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their work and shopping. Incidentally many of the fastest growing urban centres are large
cities.
This is due to the fact that such large cities act as magnets and attract large number of
immigrants by dint of their employment opportunities and modern way of life. Such
hyper urbanisation leads to projected cities sizes of which defy imagination. Delhi,
Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, etc. are examples of urban sprawl due to large
scale migration of people from the surrounding areas.
In several big cities wealthy people are constantly moving from the crowded centres of
the cities to the more pleasant suburbs where they can build larger houses and enjoy the
space and privacy of a garden around the house.
3.2Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a situation in which too many people live in too little space.
Overcrowding is a logical consequence of over-population in urban areas. It is naturally
expected that cities having a large size of population squeezed in a small space must
suffer from overcrowding. This is well exhibited by almost all the metropolitan cities of
India.
For example, Mumbai has one-sixth of an acre open space per thousand populations
though four acre is suggested standard by the Master Plan of Greater Mumbai.
Metropolitan cities of India are overcrowded both in ‗absolute‘ and ‗relative‘ terms.
Absolute in the sense that these cities have a real high density of population; relative in
the sense that even if the densities are not very high the problem of providing services
and other facilities to the city dwellers makes it so.
Delhi has a population density of 9,340 persons per sq km (Census 2001) which is the
highest in India. This is the overall population density for the Union territory of Delhi.
Population density in central part of Delhi could be much higher. This leads to
tremendous pressure on infrastructural facilities like housing, electricity, water, transport,
employment, etc. Efforts to decongest Delhi by developing ring towns have not met with
the required success.
Figure 3 Overcrowing on Rail network

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3.3Housing
Overcrowding leads to a chronic problem of shortage of houses in urban areas. This
problem is specifically more acute in those urban areas where there is large influx of
unemployed or underemployed immigrants who have no place to live in when they enter
cities/towns from the surrounding areas.
An Indian Sample Survey in 1959 indicated that 44 per cent of urban households
occupied one room or less. In metro cities the proportion of families occupying one room
or less was as high as 67 per cent. 39% of all married couples in India (about 86 million)
do not have an independent room to themselves. As many as 35% (18.9 million) urban
families live in one-room houses.
For about a third of urban Indian families, a house does not include a kitchen, a
bathroom, a toilet—and in many cases there is no power and water supply. Only 79 per
cent (42.6 million) urban household live in permanent (pucca) houses. 67 per cent (36
million) of the urban houses are owned by the households while 29 per cent (15 million)
are rented.
3.4 Unemployment
The problem of unemployment is no less serious than the problem of housing mentioned
above. Urban unemployment in India is estimated at 15 to 25 per cent of the labour force.
This percentage is even higher among the educated people.
It is estimated that about half of all educated urban unemployed are concentrated in four
metropolitan cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai). Furthermore, although urban
incomes are higher than the rural incomes, they are appallingly low in view of high cost
of living in urban areas.One of the major causes of urban unemployment is the large scale
migration of people from rural to urban areas.
But the growth of economic opportunities fails to keep pace with the quantum of
immigration. The limited capacity of metropolitan areas could not create enough
employment opportunities and absorb the rapid growth of the urban labour force. Efforts
made by the central and the state governments to create employment opportunities in
rural areas and to check the large scale rural-urban migration have not met with much
success.

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3.5 Slums and Squatter Settlements
The natural sequel of unchecked, unplanned and haphazard growth of urban areas is the
growth and spread of slums and squatter settlements which present a striking feature in the
ecological structure of Indian cities, especially of metropolitan centers.
In spite of several efforts by the Central and State Governments to contain the number of
slum dwellers, their growth has been increasing sharply exerting tremendous pressure on the
existing civic amenities and social infrastructure. In India Slums have been defined under
section 3 of Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act 1956
Socially, slums tend to be isolated from the rest of the urban society and exhibit pathological
social symptoms (drug abuse, alcoholism, crime, vandalism and other deviant behavior). The
lack of integration of slum inhabitants into urban life reflects both, the lack of ability and
cultural barriers.
Slums are known by different names in different cities. They are called bustees in Kolkata,
jhuggi- jhoparies in Delhi, Jhoparpattis or Chawl in Mumbai and Cheri in Chennai.
A list of 26 million plus cities reporting slum population in 2001 (Municipal Corporation). As
expected, the largest concentration of slum population is found in four metropolitan cities of
Greater Mumbai, Delhi Municipal Corporation (Urban), Kolkata and Chennai. So far as
percentage of slum population to total population of the cities (municipal) is concerned,
Grater Mumbai with 48.88 per cent of its population consisting of slum dwellers is the worst
suffer. Dharavi slum in Central Mumbai is the largest slum of Asia.
The largest slum population of 10.6 million has been reported from Maharashtra; followed by
Andhra Pradesh (5.1 million), Uttar Pradesh (4.1 million), West Bengal (3.8 million), Tamil
Nadu (2.5 million), Madhya Pradesh (2.4 million) and Delhi (2.0 million).
Figure 4 Kolkata Slum (Source : TOI)

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3.6 Transport
Since most of the commercial activities of the towns are concentrated in the Central Business
District (C.B.D.), the centres are areas of greatest congestion. However, other parts of the
town are not free from traffic congestion.
The traffic scenario in almost all the Indian metro cities presents a pathetic picture with
Mumbai still having the best city transport system and Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune being
reasonably well served by local transport system.
A study of traffic problem in Delhi will acquaint us to traffic scenario in the rest of urban
India. Already there are 44 lakh vehicles on Delhi roads (in 2004) which will almost double
by 2021 when the next Master Plan will be implemented. The road length, however, has not
increased proportionately.
The road length per vehicle was 3 km in 1971 which reduced to 2 km in 1981, 1.3 km in
1991, 0.68 km in 1998 and 0.23 km in 2004.Urban planners say that by 2021, going in a car
will take longer time than walking.
The guidelines for Delhi Master Plan 2021, allowing mixed land use, multi-storeyed
structures and regularisation of 24 industrial estates will add to the city‘s already congested
roads. Disturbing trends have also been indicated in the Status Report for Delhi, 2021
prepared by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Planning Department of Delhi
Government also States that despite roads occupying 21 per cent of the total area of the city,
the increase of traffic on arterial roads is resulting in lower speeds, congestion, intersection
delays and higher pollution level during peak hours.
Figure 5 Transportation infrastructure of Delhi

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Figure 6 Traffic Congestion in Delhi (Source : TOI)
Similar conditions prevail in most of the Indian cities. In Kolkata, metro rail and Vivekanand
Setu were constructed to ease traffic flow. But traffic congestion in several old localities and
near Haora bridge is almost a daily routine. In Ahmedabad, the speed of vehicles comes
down to 5 km/hr on Gandhi Marg and several other roads due to congestion and
overcrowding
3.7 Water
The Zakaria Committee recommended the water requirement per head per day 204 litres for
cities with population between 5 lakh and 2 million and 272 litres for cities with population
more than 2 million. This amount of water is supposed to be used for drinking, kitchen,
bathing, cloth washing, floor and vehicle washing and gardening.
Sadly majority of the cities and towns do not get the recommended quantity of water. Gap in
demand and supply of water in four metro cities, viz., Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai
varies from 10 to 20 per cent. The condition is still worse in small cities and towns. To meet
the growing demand for water, many cities are trying to tap external sources of water supply.
Mumbai draws water from neighbouring areas and from sources located as far as 125 km in
the Western Ghats. Chennai uses water express trains to meets its growing demand for water.
Bangalore is located on the plateau and draws water from Cauvery river at a distance of 100
km. Water for Bangalore has to be lifted about 700 metres with help of lifting pumps.

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Hyderabad depends on Nagarjuna Sagar located 137 km away. Delhi meets large part of its
water requirements from Tajiwala in cities have old sewerage lines which are not looked after
properly. Often sewerage lines break down or they are overflowing.Haryana. Water is also
drawn from Ramganga as far as 180 km.
3.8 Sewerage Problem
According to latest estimates, only 35-40 per cent of the urban population has the privilege of
sewage system. Most of the
Most cities do not have proper arrangements for treating the sewerage waste and it is
drained into a nearly river (as in Delhi) or in sea (as in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai),
thereby polluting the water bodies.
In most Indian cities, water pipes run in close proximity to sewer lines. Any leakage leads to
contamination of water which results in the spread of several water borne diseases.
3.9 Trash Disposal
As Indian cities grow in number and size the problem of trash disposal is assuming alarming
proportions. Huge quantities of garbage produced by our cities pose a serious health problem.
Most cites do not have proper arrangements for garbage disposal and the existing landfills are
full to the brim. These landfills are hotbeds of disease and innumerable poisons leaking into
their surroundings. People who live near the rotting garbage and raw sewage fall easy victims
to several diseases like dysentery, malaria, plague, jaundice, diarrhoea, typhoid, etc.
Figure 7 From the Article "How India's Garden City becomes Garbage City: Bangalore
(Source : HindustanTimes)

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3.10 Urban Crime
The problem of urban crime is becoming more complicated in the present day world because
criminals often get protection from politicians, bureaucrats and elite class of the urban
society. Some of the criminals reach high political positions by using their money and muscle
power.
According to study made by Dutt and Venugopal (1983), violent urban crimes like rape,
murder, kidnapping, dacoity, robbery, etc. are more pronounced in the northern-central parts
of the country. Even the economic crimes (like theft, cheating, breach of trust, etc.) are
concentrated in the north- central region. Poverty related crimes are widespread with main
concentration in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,Patna, Gaya and Munger. This may be
due to widespread poverty prevailing in this region.
However, the latest surveys show that Mumbai and Delhi figure in 35 cities that have high
crime rate. As much as 31.8% of citizens in Mumbai and 30.5% in Delhi have been victims
of crime. Sexual assault was higher in Mumbai (3.5 per cent) as compared to Delhi (1.7 per
cent). Both cities score poorly in corruption, with 22.9% in Mumbai being exposed to bribery
as compared to 21% in Delhi.
3.11 Urban Pollution
The share of urban areas in the total national economic income had been estimated at 60 per
cent and the per capita income was about three times higher than rural per capita income. But
this is not sufficient partly, due to high cost of living and partly, because of growing
economic disparity in urban areas. Rich are becoming richer and poor are becoming poorer.
Several steps have been initiated to meet the challenges posed by urban crisis but with little
or no success.
National Commission on Urbanization (NCU) has, in its policy proposal of 1988, stressed the
need for (a) the evolution of a spatial pattern of economic development and hierarchies of
human settlements, (b) an optimum distribution of population between rural and urban
settlements, and among towns and cities of various sizes, (c) distribution of economic
activities in small and medium-sized growth centres, (d) dispersal of economic activities
through the establishment of counter-magnets in the region, and (e) provision of minimum
levels of services in urban and rural areas.
The other major development programmes include (i) Urban Basic Services for the Poor
(UBSP) programme, (ii) the Environmental Improvement of Urban Slums (EIUS)
programme, (iii) the Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT), (iv)
various housing and infrastructure financing schemes of Housing and Urban Development
Corporation (HUDCO), (v) the Mega Cities Project, and (vi) the Integrated Urban Poverty
Eradication Programme (IUPEP).
Almost all the major programmes of urban development suffer from the chronic disease of
resource crunch. Right from the beginning of the planning period, urban development has
been low on the development agenda with only 3-4 per cent of the total plan outlay being
allocated to the urban sector. The National Commission on Urbanization recommended in
1988 that at least 8 per cent of the Plan outlay should be dedicated to urban sector.

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4. Concluding Remark
India has already initiated to work major cities into smart cities which is appreciated
stop towards smart and sustainable development of cities.
But before making metropolitan cities and other major cities as a smart cities, Firstly
it would be focus on current problems which may pullback efforts to be the city smart
and try to dissolve it minimize its effect.

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REFERENCES
 Census of India, 2001
 Delhi Master Plan 2021
 The city of Groningen as a justification of Metropolitan City
 Transport Infrastucture of Delhui
 Shekhar Mukherji (2006) Migration and Urban Decay; Asian Experiences, Rawat
Publication, Bangalore.
 Muthukumaran and Ambujam,N.K. (2003) Wastewater Treatment, Department of
Economic and Social Affairs Population Division.
 Pandey, S. (2006) Water Pollution and Health; Kathmandu University Medical
Journal 4, No.1, Issue 13,pp. 128-134
 Times of India

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