Urban planning and development in Nepal involves addressing several issues. Rapid urbanization is putting pressure on infrastructure and resources, and the urban population is projected to double in coming decades. Effective urban planning requires defining urban areas, addressing problems like congestion, pollution and inequitable access to services, and ensuring participation and partnerships between stakeholders. The goals of urban planning and development should be to make cities safe, just, and moving in a positive direction through strategic planning and allocation of necessary resources.

1. In the context of Nepal
Urban planning and development
Rajendra P Sharma
rpsharma@mailcity.com

2. Urban planning and development
•• Urbanization trends, urban growth, size of urban place, urban patterns,Urbanization trends, urban growth, size of urban place, urban patterns,
urban indicators, ruralurban indicators, rural--urban difference and linkagesurban difference and linkages
•• Definition, rationality and process of urban planning, planningDefinition, rationality and process of urban planning, planning•• Definition, rationality and process of urban planning, planningDefinition, rationality and process of urban planning, planning
approaches: land use and physical planning ,designed based planning,approaches: land use and physical planning ,designed based planning,
participatory planning, advocacy planning, equity planning , radicalparticipatory planning, advocacy planning, equity planning , radical
planning, community planning, strategic planning, and action planningplanning, community planning, strategic planning, and action planning
•• Urbanization and development, interrelationship between urban planningUrbanization and development, interrelationship between urban planning
and development, urban development in poverty alleviationand development, urban development in poverty alleviation

3. 33

4. 44

5. Background InformationBackground InformationBackground InformationBackground Information

6. Background Information: World view
Social contradiction in growing in cities: speed of cultural change
The space taken up by urban localities increasing faster than urban
population, the expected increasement in 2000-2030:
world urban population by 72%
built areas of cities of 100000 people or more by 175%
66ASCI
Conference
built areas of cities of 100000 people or more by 175%
Recent satellite imagery shows all urban sites covers 2.8% land,
meaning 3.3 billions occupying area slightly smaller than
Japan
Cont...

7. •• urban population will grow up tourban population will grow up to 4.9 billion by 20304.9 billion by 2030,, while ruralwhile rural
population willpopulation will decreased by 28 milliondecreased by 28 million
•• doubling the urban population in few decades in LDCsdoubling the urban population in few decades in LDCs
•• slum dwellers:slum dwellers: 90% in developing world90% in developing world,, China India alone:China India alone:
37%37%
Background information World view cont
77
37%37%
•• local actions, global consequences: global change locallocal actions, global consequences: global change local
impactimpact
•• rates of urbanization: 30% in 1950, 47% in 2000, 50% in 2007rates of urbanization: 30% in 1950, 47% in 2000, 50% in 2007
•• urban centers are central to access markets and employmenturban centers are central to access markets and employment..
•• urban centers have importance for providing access tourban centers have importance for providing access to
services, rule of law, fulfillment of civic rights: but this is oftenservices, rule of law, fulfillment of civic rights: but this is often
overlookedoverlooked

8. Background Information: changing role of cities
de-bordering’ of national and local economies
contest global markets’
cities as centers of innovation, and learning
widening inequalities
88
widening inequalities
growing mismatch between jobs, housing and transit
inequality and marginalization
urban violence and exclusion
fewer resources to deal with greater problems

9. Defining urban areaDefining urban area
Urban and Rural characterUrban and Rural character
–– Economic activity and livelihoodEconomic activity and livelihood
–– Population Density and compositionPopulation Density and composition
–– Infrastructure and services; and resourcesInfrastructure and services; and resources–– Infrastructure and services; and resourcesInfrastructure and services; and resources
–– Market, institutionsMarket, institutions
–– Culture, civilization and innovationCulture, civilization and innovation
–– Concentration of population: economic, social and politicalConcentration of population: economic, social and political
implications (higher per capita productivity; Political process andimplications (higher per capita productivity; Political process and
participation)participation)
–– Resource consumption and pollution emissionResource consumption and pollution emission

10. Defining urban areaDefining urban area
•• Acceptable basis:Acceptable basis: Density, Contiguity, occupational structureDensity, Contiguity, occupational structure
•• Criteria used in NepalCriteria used in Nepal
–– 1952 census: prominent settlement, ≥5000 population1952 census: prominent settlement, ≥5000 population
–– 1961 census: Urban environment, ≥ 5000 population1961 census: Urban environment, ≥ 5000 population–– 1961 census: Urban environment, ≥ 5000 population1961 census: Urban environment, ≥ 5000 population
–– Municipal Act 1962: Urban environment, ≥ 10,000 populationMunicipal Act 1962: Urban environment, ≥ 10,000 population
–– LSGA 1999:LSGA 1999: Metropolitan CityMetropolitan City (≥ 300,000; NPR 400 m revenue; Urban(≥ 300,000; NPR 400 m revenue; Urban
facilities; already subfacilities; already sub--metropolitan);metropolitan); SubSub--metropolitanmetropolitan (≥ 100,000;(≥ 100,000;
NPR 100 m revenue; Urban facilities; already Municipality);,NPR 100 m revenue; Urban facilities; already Municipality);,
MunicipalityMunicipality ((TaraiTarai ≥ 20,000; NPR 5 m revenue; Urban facilities),≥ 20,000; NPR 5 m revenue; Urban facilities),
Municipality (Municipality (HillHill ≥ 10,000; NPR 500,000 revenue; Urban facilities)≥ 10,000; NPR 500,000 revenue; Urban facilities)

12. Urban IssuesUrban Issues
–– IndividualismIndividualism
–– Ineffective service deliveryIneffective service delivery
–– Low social security (disable, old)Low social security (disable, old)
–– Resources/opportunities hold by ElitesResources/opportunities hold by Elites–– Resources/opportunities hold by ElitesResources/opportunities hold by Elites
–– Exploitation of natural resources by elite andExploitation of natural resources by elite and
victimization of poorvictimization of poor
–– Discrimination in terms of gender, caste, class,Discrimination in terms of gender, caste, class,
race, ethnicityrace, ethnicity
–– UnemploymentUnemployment
–– FrustrationFrustration

13. Total 1,350 t/ day: Kathmandu 383 t/day
Per capita per day 0.34 kg (vary 0.11 to 0.93 kg)
Urban ConcernsUrban Concerns
Solid
waste
Airpollution
Emerging issue in major towns: vehicular/industrial emission, waste
burning, adulterated fuel.
Kathmandu Foggy days increased: 38 d/y (1970) to 60 d/ y (1994)
Indoor air pollution in smaller towns: (biomass fuel)
Airpollution
Indoor air pollution in smaller towns: (biomass fuel)
Health impacts: ARI, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Asthma
Congestion
Urban roads: narrow, poor network function, lacks parking
Deficiency in planning and provision: Increase in vehicles not
matched by provision of roads and infrastructure
Mix traffic types, poor driving, bad parking, roadside trading
add to traffic congestion
Impact: travel time, air/noise, fuel consumption

14. Hidden Urban ProblemsHidden Urban Problems
–– Drug addictsDrug addicts
–– Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence
Self
Society
Family
Sexual abuse of worker
Gender violence
–– Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence
–– Isolation of youth, family instabilityIsolation of youth, family instability
–– Increasing number of street childrenIncreasing number of street children
–– Large number of school dropout (age 15Large number of school dropout (age 15--20)20)
–– Health care/Social Security SystemHealth care/Social Security System
Sexual abuse of worker

15. In this context: First step is to askIn this context: First step is to ask
questionsquestions
–– Are the existing cities safe & just?Are the existing cities safe & just?
–– Are we moving forward ?Are we moving forward ?
If YES…If YES…
If NOT we need to start here……If NOT we need to start here……

16. Second and the last…….Second and the last…….
TheThe mostmost importantimportant stepstep maymay bebe reviewreview that,that,
“What we gets done!” and, What and how we get“What we gets done!” and, What and how we get
measured ?measured ?measured ?measured ?
–– are we doing, alone? Or in partnership? Or inare we doing, alone? Or in partnership? Or in
collaboration? andcollaboration? and
–– What are the indicators?What are the indicators?
–– So on……….So on.So on……….So on.

17. Where we are?Where we are?
Where we want to go?Where we want to go?
And,And,
Planning and Development is simply
questioning and finding the answers - - - -
1717
And,And,
What should we do……….now? For better future?What should we do……….now? For better future?
•• How we want to do?How we want to do?
•• Ensuring the required resources ………Ensuring the required resources ………
??

18. Urbanization is the physical growth of urban areas from rural
areas as a result of population immigration to an existing urban
area.
Effects include change in density and administration services.
While the exact definition and population size of urbanized
areas varies among different countries, urbanization is
UrbanizationUrbanizationUrbanizationUrbanization
1818
areas varies among different countries, urbanization is
attributed to growth of cities.
Urbanization is also defined by the United Nations as movement
of people from rural to urban areas with population growth
equating to urban migration.
The UN has projected that half of the world's population would
live in urban areas at the end of 2008

19. Urban planning is concerned with the ordering and design of
settlements, from the smallest towns to the world's largest cities.
Urban, city, and town planning is the integration of the disciplines
of land use planning and transport planning, to explore a very
wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of
1919
wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of
urbanized municipalities and communities. Regional planning
deals with a still larger environment, at a less detailed level.

20. Nepal: Urban System

21. 17,09,377
Nepal Urban Growth Projected
based on Municipal Population
Population in 2001
Projected Population
until 2021
Existing Road
Proposed Road
Under Construction Road
Kathmandu Metropolis
6,71,846
Biratnagar
1,66,6741,66,6741,66,6741,66,674
2,76,3282,76,3282,76,3282,76,328
Dhangadhi
67,44767,44767,44767,447
1,53,2801,53,2801,53,2801,53,280
Nepalganj
57,53557,53557,53557,535
83,33983,33983,33983,339
Pokhara
1,56,4121,56,4121,56,4121,56,412
4,20,3074,20,3074,20,3074,20,307
Butwal
75,38475,38475,38475,384
2,18,7042,18,7042,18,7042,18,704
Birgunj
1,12,4841,12,4841,12,4841,12,484
2,99,0242,99,0242,99,0242,99,024

22. Thank you
2222