M.

Plan (Environmental Planning), II Sem I Year

Planning & Design Studio – Brief Note

Eco-City Development Plan – Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Introduction

Cities are both engines for growth and sources of concentrated environmental problems.Improperly
planned cities and their services and lack of plans to absorb the future growth has made most cities less
livable and many countries, including India, are now faced with the challenge of making cities both
ecologically and economically sustainable.‘Eco-city’ is one approach which aims to address some of the
critical challenges, as stated, for cities in future.

An eco-city can be described as a city with minimal environmental impacts -an ecologically healthy
city. An Eco-city builds on the synergy and interdependence of ecological and economic sustainability, and
their fundamental ability to reinforce each other in the urban context (World Bank, 2010). Eco-City is a
concept to achieve this sustainability by taking the ecological principles as the central driving principles for
the planning of our cities (Huang G Y et al 2002).

Contextual Background : Ujjain

The city of Ujjain is a popular

religious centre, well known for its
temples, a major trading centre in
agriculture produce and the second
largest city of ‘Indore Agro-Industrial
Region’.Tourism, agricultural
markets and trade are the main
resources of economy for Ujjain. The
city of Ujjain is on the eastern bank
of river Kshipra and is shaped
bythisgeographical factor. According
to the 2011 census, Ujjain has a
population of 515,215 persons.
Dueto several factors including high Figure 1 : Ujjain City Base Map
density of population and the
violation of the bye-laws, the pressure on core area is very high. The disorganized water distribution
system, insufficient sanitation facilities,dumping of human waste and garbagemaybe identified as some
seriousurban environmental concerns in Ujjainthat endanger the health and wellbeingof people.

The city of Ujjain is the only major city in the state of Madhya Pradesh which is in the influence zone of
Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and also proposed to be developed as a Smart City under the Union
government’s flagship Smart Cities Mission. Nevertheless, the growing urban environmental issues in the
city of Ujjain will thwart the possibilities of future development, unless planned for carefully.

In this backdrop the first year students of M.Plan (Environmental Planning) is required to develop a
development plan for the city of Ujjain, in the context of minimising the city’s impact on its environment and
at the same time aiming at improved well-being of the people and thus paving a way for the future urban-
ecological development – an ECO-CITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN for Ujjain.

Broad Learning Intentions

This studio aims to identify a roadmap for Ujjain, that: a) gives a direction of growth both spatially and
functionally for the city; b) augments the deficiencies in city and environmental services; and c) minimise
the impact of city activities on its urban environment.

The exercise shall lead to students’ comprehension of the following predominant areas within the urban
environmental planning framework –

i. Detailed environmental studies to establish baseline of different components of environment,

through primary and secondary surveys, at town/city level;

ii. Understanding the various linkages within the city;

iii. Cause-effect Analysis of key environmental issues – Identification of sources, Levels of issues and
problem analysis.

iv. Transformation of environmental, physical and socio-economic conditions.

v. Relating physical growth and development aspects with changing environmental conditions.

The studio exercise will culminate in preparing an Eco-city Development Plan for Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
which shall detail out environmental improvement and conservation strategies and a regulatory framework
at the city level.

Modules

Broadly the studio shall elaborate into eight cognitive modules to delve deeper into the above aspects and
generate understanding in students of processes and steps that are necessary in environmental planning
for a city/town.

Module Description Remarks Time Limit

I Theoretical understanding:
Of hierarchy of towns and urban settlements in
India; Environmental planning concerns
various types of cities; River-side cities
Concept of Eco-city development and
components of analysis; Study of already
completed environmental plans.
Secondary sourced study of the Master Plan / By mid of
City Development Plans within India and January
abroad; Environmental Legislations and
Provisions which may be applied at city level;
Urban Planning Guidelines as in URDPFI;
Agencies involved at city level in Environmental
Management, Best Practices.
 II Baseline Studies of Ujjain :

In terms of Regional Setting, Demography, Natural Resource Baseline – at ward level; Partly by end of
Economy, Environment; and Preparation of Socio - Spatial Development baseline January
Basemap of Ujjain and its surroundings.

Spatial Development baseline : Evolution of Understanding the process of evolution of the

Ujjain in terms its spatial, functional and socio-
economic dimensions, Creation and
Assimilation of Natural Resource baseline;
Study of the physical and social infrastructure
system and its shortcomings in Ujjain.
city’s functional and morphological,
demographic, & land use changes; Fully by end of
February
Understanding the natural environmental
components – land, air, water, green areas,
biodiversity etc. - in and around the cityarea.

Study of the physical infrastructure catchment

and adequacy.

Industrial and residential need of basic

environmental services.
III Preparation for Field level studies on-site Formulation of broad objectives for the study; Fully by mid of
Data Checklist preparation; Listing of surveys February
required; Preparation of Survey formats;
Complete detailed Basemap and Land Use
Field Visit & Data Collection Map of Ujjain city. Fully by end of
February

Submission of Report – Part 1 including Fully by first

Literature Study and Baseline Studies week of March
IV Assimilation and Analysis Analysis of network and its gaps By end of March

Related to urban and environmental services

V Submission of Report – Part 1 including By first week of
Literature Study, Baseline Studies and April
Analysis
VI Scenario Building (Proposals) and DPRs Urban functions scenario; augmentation of By mid of April
(selected) environmental services scenarios; eco-city
development plan as per above scenarios

Detailed plan proposals for selected

sectors/aspects.
VII Submission of complete Report – Part 1 By first week of
and 2. May
VIII Jury May, 2017

In each module the students shall have the freedom to re-orient the overall studio sub-theme or analytical
strategy or addressing of any particular issues of the case area as they deem fit.

Assessments shall be on the basis of reviews to be held every week/alternative week by prior notice.
Practical Details
SUBJECT CODE :MPEP201
SUBJECT :Urban Environmental Planning Studio
YEAR/SEMESTER : I Year II Sem (2016-17 A.Y.)
NUMBER OF CREDITS : 12
NAME OF THE FACULTY (Co-ordinator) :Rajeev R, Assistant Professor
KanadPankajJha, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Dept of Planning
LECTURE PERIOD/WEEK : --
TUTORIAL PERIOD/WEEK : --
PRACTICALS/WORKSHOP/ LAB/ WEEK : 12
TOTAL PERIODS : 12 per week
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT : 200 marks (pass percentage - 50%)
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT : --
EXTERNAL JURY : 200 marks (pass percentage - 50%)
TOTAL MARKS : 400 marks (to be converted to CGPA credit pattern as per regulations)