63rd NATIONAL

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNERS CONGRESS

High Growth Inclusive Urban Settlements
9th - 11th January, 2015
Venue : Amma Auditorium, A-Block, 12th Street, Shenoy Nagar, Chennai-30
Sponsored by :
Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India
Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), Tamil Nadu
Co-sponsored by :
Commissionerate of Town and Country Planning
Chennai Corporation
Tamil Nadu Housing Board
Tamil Nadu Slums Clearance Board
Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TUFIDCO)
Commissionerate of Municipal Administration
Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TUFISL)
Confederation of Real Estate Development Association in India (CREDAI)
Builders Association of India
Delhi Development Authority

Organised by :
INSTITUTE OF TOWN PLANNERS, INDIA
4A, Ring Road, I.P. Estate, New Delhi - 110002
BACKGROUND
The history of urbanization throughout the world has
shown that economic growth is imperative and a
necessary condition for any settlement to sustain itself
and grow to which India is also no exception. However,
it is not denying the fact that the effect of economic
liberalization in India resulted into fast growth of
number as well as the population of towns, cities, and
urban agglomerations. To quote in 2001, there were
5,161 towns and cities in the country; and now (2011)
there are 7,935 urban centres which include 3,894
census towns. But with reference to the spatial
distribution of such fast-growing urban settlements, it is
interesting to note that many of these towns are located
in the shadow of mega-cities and large metro-cities.
Some of them have even evolved as twin cities or
satellite towns. According, to a study by the City
Mayor's Foundation, there are 37 fast-growing cities in
India. Some of these include Ghaziabad, Faridabad,
Surat, Nashik, Patna, Rajkot, Jaipur, Pune, Indore,
Asansol, Agra, Amritsar, Bangalore, Jamshedpur and
others. Ghaziabad and Faridabad are under growing
under the shadow of Delhi mega city and form part of
metropolitan core of the National Capital Region
(NCR). Recently Jaipur has also been declared as
satellite town of NCR.
In India, the evolution of twin-cities is not new and
cities like Hyderabad-Secunderabad, Cuttack-
Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, Hubli-
Dharwad, Badnera-Amravati, and Kochi-Ernakulum
came into existence before the economic boom of the
last two decades. However, in the context of 74th
Constitution Amendment Act, extension of municipal
boundaries, to accommodate pressure of urbanisation
is likely to be difficult and urban patterns like twin-cities,
urban agglomeration, and clustering of cities are
expected to emerge in future. Never the less the
important issue pertaining to twin-cities includes
whether and how far they merge into each other to form
an urban agglomeration generating economies of
scale and scope for economic activities including
businesses needs to be addressed. Yet another
important issue that Congress would like the delegates
to discuss is - whether one city grows at the cost of the
other and if so how such processes could be planned
and regulated by planners for growth of both cities. Are
twin-cities present a regional planning problem, which
should be planned at a regional level ?
In fact movement of population to large metropolitan
cities and other urban settlements from rural areas is
perceived as a major planning problem, which requires
planning interventions. This perception is based on the
understanding that large urban settlements are less
likely to be properly planned and managed. Largeness
in terms of population and extent of built up areas are
perceived as planning problems. Satellite towns are
presented as one response to such perceived planning
problem. Whether satellite towns do present a solution
to a perceived planning problem has not been
conclusively established. This Congress provides
another opportunity for planners to discuss a long
forgotten concept, which occasionally appears in
Metropolitan Regional Plans but no one hears about
them after the plans get prepared. We would like to
hear from delegates specifically on the issues and
relevance of the concept of satellite towns in the current
context of Indian urbanization. If yes, how satellite
towns could be deployed to manage large urban
settlements considering towns and cities are a fact of
life in a democratic set up like India. If no, what re-
orientation could be made of concepts like satellite
towns to be effective. Do we really need to focus on
controlling population and geographical sizes of cities
appears to be a critical planning issue? Alternatively,
can we think of new management methods for
planning and managing large metropolitan cities and
other urban settlements given that in-migration is
unlikely to stop at any time soon in future.
Congress sees a connection between the two diverse
formulations i.e. twin cities and satellite towns.
Congress would like to see that this relationship is
debated from various points of views. That these two
concepts are discussed at a regional level could be
presented as one perspective. How far government
and governance issues are entangled in the context of
planning issues need intense debate? Can given
constitutional provisions and guarantees be used to
establish a relationship between twin-cities and
satellite towns? Answers to these questions could be
useful for the governance of Indian urban settlements
with huge implications for rural areas.
This Congress will also deliberate how far 100 new
towns recently announced by the Government of India
could be visualized and planned as inclusive smart
cities, the cities which serve citizens belonging to all
economic classes and social identities. The
Government of India, in the current (2014) budget,
have also provided a sum of Rs 7,060 crore to
accomplish the vision of the Prime Minister to develop
100 smart cities as satellite towns of larger cities and
modernising the existing mid-sized cities. It is a positive
initiative to tackle the problem of unplanned growth in
and around large cities. This program is being followed
with vigour by the Government of India and in recent
conference of State Ministers, held in Delhi, the
program was introduced and various States have given
their views and proposals. However, there appears to
be some uncertainty about the definition, manner of
selection, financing, administration and spatial
planning of smart cities. What is a smart city? Are the
smart cities new settlements or improvement of old
ones? Are they islands of development serving elite
population and promoting gentrification? Should they
not be inclusive? Does e-governance only make a city
smart or should there be smart spatial planning as
well? How to identify a city under this program so that
smart cities form part of a Regional Plan and do not
evolve as 'islands of growth' surrounded by unplanned
activities? There is a need to address these and other
questions- whether the smart city formulation is likely to
be inclusive of all classes and identities. Whatever
emphasis is placed on framing smart city policies, the
concern about inclusivity is required to be addressed
before making any forward movement. Exclusivist
policies are generally riddled with planning conflicts
and controversies when a majority of citizens in cities
and towns have to live on bare minimum earnings and
live in slums and squatters.
After all cities, whether smart or otherwise, are for
citizens. Inclusion in any form is not anti-growth as
perceived by free marketers. There is no need to
emphasize that only inclusive societies have made
sustained human progress, if this among other things
also implies, peaceful and harmonious living together
of all citizens. Technology is developed by humans to
aid humanity, and to enhance quality to life of people at
large. There is no technology which is developed only
for technological advancement alone. This is the
litmus test of all technologies including technologies
that would be intensely used to create smart cities.
With reference to local sub-themes it is stated that cities
are restless, always in the process of change. There is
nothing new about this assertion. Theories about
internal city structure such as Concentric Zone Theory;
Sector Theory; and Multiple Nuclei Theory were
developed in the early parts of the twentieth century.
Land Use and Land Value Theory was developed in
1970s. Based on empirical evidence these theories
generalized how internal city structure transforms itself
with large scale implications for various economic
classes. Although these theories appear to present
simplistic explanations to numerous decisions made
by people in the present context, they remain useful in
establishing general rules about internal city structure.
No doubt cities are complex and that complexity needs
to be explored deeply to make sensible planning
decisions.
Congress sees the present urban scenario developing
without much insight about how internal city structures
have been functioning and transforming since the last
six decades. We would like to know more during the
course of the Congress what is the nature of internal
city structures in India. Are these structures work in
ways which integrate or do they function as divisive
elements among economic classes and other
identities? Understanding the nature of city
transformations is also imperative for concerns such as
environmental sustainability. Are cities transforming for
environmental degradation or improvement? All of us
are at loss because of environmental degradation.
Most urgent concern is to propel city transformations,
which serve the interests of sustainable environmental
development while at the same time ensuring
sustained and high economic growth.
With reference to Tamil Nadu, it is a fact that one in every
two persons lives in urban area. The Government of
Tamil Nadu has prepared a “Vision Document - Tamil
Nadu 2023” in the year 2012 for identifying and removing
bottlenecks in development and for prioritizing critical
areas of development for achieving economic prosperity
and employment generation with inclusive growth. As
part of the strategy a strategic blueprint for development
is aiming at achieving consistent growth, the important
areas for special attention include universal access to
housing, water and sanitation, energy, transportation,
connectivity, healthcare and education. There is a thrust
on skill development to create a balanced workforce for
a variety of livelihood opportunities. In the agriculture
sector, the thrust is on technology based intelligent use
of water and ensuring timely irrigation, refurbishing the
existing canals and tanks, adopting appropriate crop
pattern besides developing suitable post harvesting
infrastructure and timely marketing of the agricultural
produce are emphasized. The strategic initiative
includes transforming ten cities into world class cities
that become nodes of growth across the state by
upgrading the infrastructure facilities. These centres will
act as nuclei of innovation and send positive
development waves into the surrounding hinterland. The
development strategies include broadband connectivity
to each village, high speed rail connectivity to cities,
priority development of four development corridors,
making Tamil Nadu as health care destination besides
tourism development of hill areas, beaches and heritage
centres. For all these activities to take place a special
planning framework has to be in place.
Taking into consideration all the above emerging
issues the Institute of Town Planners, India, has
dedicated its 63rd National Town and Country
Planners' Congress, to be held during 9th-11th January
2015 at Chennai, to the main theme "High Growth
Inclusive Urban Settlements" with the sub-themes
“Twin Cities and Satellite Towns”; and “Inclusive Smart
Cities”. And to deliberate the local issues related to fast
pace of changes in urban areas in Tamilnadu, the local
sub-theme of the congress has been dedicated to
“Transformation of Cities as Nuclei of Development”.
PROGRAM
Friday,9th January, 2015
• Inauguration
• Plenary Session “High Growth Inclusive Urban
Settlements”
• Inauguration of Exhibition
• Workshop on Sub-Theme (i) : “Twin Cities and
Satellite Towns ”
Saturday, 10th January, 2015
• Workshop on Sub-Theme (ii) : “Inclusive Smart
Cities ”
• Workshop on Local Sub-theme : “Transformation
of Cities as Nuclei of Development ”
• Drafting Session
• Valedictory Session
Sunday, 11th January, 2015
• Field Visit to Special Townships
PARTICIPATION
About 400 delegates and participants comprising of
professional planners, policymakers, administrators,
academicians, educationists and experts from the
allied disciplines both from India and abroad are
expected to participate in the Congress.
EXHIBITION
An exhibition on “ High Growth Inclusive Urban
Settlements ” is being organized during the Congress.
It would provide an opportunity to various stakeholders
to showcase their efforts and success stories. In order
to book space in the exhibition and to secure other
details, please contact Shri S. Rudramurthy (Mobile
number +91 9444145477)
CALL FOR PAPERS
Papers are invited on the theme and sub-themes not
exceeding 3,000 words, along with hard and soft copy in
MS Word to reach the Secretary General, ITPI, New
Delhi before 25th December, 2014. The Institute of Town
Planners, India reserves the right to accept, edit or reject
any of the technical paper without assigning any reason.
ABOUT CHENNAI
Chennai situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal is
the capital of Tamil Nadu State. It was the capital of
erstwhile Madras Presidency covering most of the areas
under the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and
Kerala. The population of Chennai as per 2011 Census
is 46.44 lakh. Chennai has the 2nd longest beach in the
world. It is the 4th largest metropolis in India. Chennai is
a major Transportation Hub for road, rail, air and sea
transport connecting major cities in land and abroad.
Chennai has a rich heritage with heterogeneous mix of
architectural styles ranging from ancient temples to
British colonial era buildings to the latest modern
buildings. Most of the Colonial era buildings are of
Indosarasonic style. Chennai is famous for its classical
dance called “Bharatanatiyam” and Carnatic Music
Season. These events held every year during December
and January, is one of the world's longest cultural events
attracting the people from all over the world.
The climate is hot and humid. During the Congress the
minimum temperature would be 22° and maximum
would be 30°. Woolen clothes are not required.
ACCOMODATION
Accommodation in Chennai ranges from luxury hotels
to moderate and economy hotels. Delegates may
however, note that during the period of the congress
there will be heavy rush of tourists in the city. The ITPI
has blocked few rooms on reduced tariff ranging from
` 2,000 to `5,000 (Standard AC Room) per day for
double-bedded room which could be booked by
members by sending advance payment to ITPI along
with Registration Fee.
REGISTRATION FEE
• Sponsored delegates : ` 5,000/-
• Non-sponsored delegates : ` 3,000/-
• ITPI Members : ` 2,000/-
• Planning Students (provided nominations are
forwarded by HoDs) :` 1,000/-
• Additional amount of 50% of registrations fee of
delegate shall be charged per accompanying
person.
• Cheques and drafts only will be accepted with
Registration Form. For spot registration either cash
or draft only will be accepted.
• Registration fee once paid will not be refunded.
• Outstation Cheques should include bank charges
of ` 50.
 REGISTRATION FORM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

1. Name of the Participant (Ms/Smt./Shri): Prof. (Dr.) Najamuddin

Secretary General
Institute of Town Planners, India
2. Designation and Mobile No.:
4-A, Ring Road, I.P. Estate, New Delhi 110002
Phones: 011-23702457, 23702454
3. Name of the Organization with Address: Fax: 011 23702453, Mobile: +91 9897065359
Email: itpidel@itpi.org.in
Website: www.itpi.org.in
4. Accompanying Persons:
Adults Children
In case of urgency contact

(Designed by Dr. D.S. Meshram)

5. Registration Number (in case of ITPI Member) Dr. A.N. Sachithanandan,
President, ITPI
6. In case of Student, name of Institution Mobile : + 91 9840324140
(attach Letter from HoD)
Shri. Anantharanjan Doss,
7. Requirement for Accommodation:
Chairman
a) Single Bed / Double Bed: No. of Rooms:
Tamil Nadu Regional Chapter, Chennai
b) From to Mobile : + 91 9884747153
c) Advance for Accommodation: Rupees

8. Category of Registration: Dr. S. Rajasekarapandian,

Sponsored / Non-sponsored / ITPI Member / Student
Council Member, and Chief Planner,
9. Mode of Payment of Delegation fee:Amount Rs. Chennai Metropolitan Development
(Cheque /Draft/ Cash) Authority (CMDA), 8-Gandhi Irwin Road,
Chennai-600008
Date: Signature Contact : +91 9444015618
E-mail : 63congress@gmail.com