Population trends:

The Census 2011 and 2001 give useful indicators for the trends in urbanization in India.
The three urban agglomerations, viz. Greater Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, have crossed the 10 million mark in
population, but with much reduced the rate of growth.
The Million Plus population cities have shown a growth of over 48%, but the number of such cities has gone up
from 35 to 53 and five cities viz. Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune have attained more
than 50 lakh population.
Nonstatutory towns:
As per Census2011, there are 7933 towns including 4041 Statutory towns and 3892
Census towns.
the number of statutory towns has increased by 6.4 per cent only, whereas the number
of nonstatutory towns has gone up by 186 per cent.
New towns are developing very fast, but, being not notified as a town, these are kept
out of the purview of planned spatial development and become prone to haphazard
growth. This would call for a serious effort to introduce the principles of the URDPFI
Guidelines to even nonstatutory towns, preferably in a regional set up, wherein the
spatial plans for such towns are prepared in conjunction with that of the main cities,
to which these are generally the satellite towns.
Framework for a Renewed Planning System
Current principles, practises and issues in preparation and implementation of plans at National, Regional and
Local levels so as to harmonize the same drawing on the best practices.
Analysis of the latest trend in the Urban Development scenario.
Address relevant issues related to periurban areas and urban planning regions.
Compilation and analysis of the relevant data available from Census and other sources.
Urban development issues, especially in newly formed states and backward areas.
Need for uniformity in planning system in the country.
Streamlining of planning practices.
Requirement of coordinated efforts between Departments/ Authorities.
Legal, funding and decision making aspects in implementation of plans and projects.
Promoting rapid urbanization and responding to the impact of climate change.
Economic aspects of plan implementation while preparing land use development plans.
Promotion of sustainable development with focus on planning for People, Environment and Financial viability
principles.
Inclusive planning, peoples participation and specific issues relating to the elderly, women, the differently abled
and the weaker sections of the society.
Attention to Transit Oriented Development (TOD).
Planning for and integration of Periurban areas in the planning process.
Influence of industrial areas, such as SEZs, on spatial and urban development.
CRZ policy and Coastal management in case of coastal cities.
Special issues of urban development in hill areas.
Provisions for Affordable housing.
Safe disposal, mainly by way of recycling and reuse, of solid and other wastes.
Adoption of geospatial data and technology in the planning process.
Defining measureable benchmarks and milestones for the plan.
Arrangements for periodic monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Plan.
Integration of sector specific plans among each other and in overall spatial planning.
Classification of Urban Settlements
The classification of urban settlements adopted by the Census of India 2011 is as follows:
1. All places with a Municipality, Corporation, Cantonment Board or notified town area committee, etc.
2. All other places which satisfies the following criteria:
a. A minimum population of 5,000;
b. At least 75 per cent of the male main working population engaged in nonagricultural pursuits; and
c. A density of population of at least 400 persons per sq. km.

The first category of urban units is known as Statutory Towns. These towns are
notified under law by the concerned State/UT Government and have local bodies like Municipal Corporations,
Municipalities, Municipal Committees, etc., irrespective of their demographic characteristics.

The second category of Towns is known as Census Town. The human settlement classification for planning purposes,
its nomenclature and population range is redefined in the URDPFI guidelines based on:
Census 2011 and reference to census towns.
Master plan formulation in the states.
Emerging agglomerations in India.
Small towns can be referred as transitional towns where a Nagar Panchayat (as a municipality) is to be formed for
an area in transition from arural area to an urban area.
Agglomeration of urban nodes along with its periurban and rural areas are currently observed in the Metropolitan
cities II (like in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad) and in Megapolis. However, Conurbation of
settlements is on much larger scale, which may develop accounting for population more than 5 Crore and with
adjoining several large cities and few metropolitan cities.
The concepts stated in these Guidelines can be easily made applicable to all human settlements, whether
notified as a Municipality, Cantonment, Special Economic Zone, Port trust area or even a village.
Scope and purpose of various plans
Perspective Plan
The vision stipulates direction of growth and identification of resource potential and
innovations to be adopted for the thrust areas of development.
It integrates broad level plan with the regional or development plan.
Focuses on the spatioeconomic development policies, strategies and programmes
towards the intended development of the State.
The Perspective Plan of a State could include State Urbanisation Policy and State
Land Utilisation Policy.
The plan is based on state resource mapping and analysis and assessment of potential
resources addressing the policies regarding development of infrastructure and resource
mobilisation.
The scope of this plan covers the social, economic, environmental and spatial
development goals, policies and priorities relating to the activities that have spatial and
financial implications.
The purpose of a perspective plan is to provide an overall framework for preparation of
detailed plans.
Serves as a guide for urban local authorities and regional development authorities in
preparation of the regional and development plans.
Regional Plan
The planning regions could be classified under three heads:
(a) Administrative Regions, which can be District Regions or Metropolitan Regions
(b) Investment Regions, which can be new investment manufacturing zones, industrial and freight corridors, special
investment regions etc. They could beidentified under National Acts/ policies,
(c) Special regions, which are sensitive in terms of environment/ socio economic or political aspects.
States undertake Urban and Regional Planning under a variety of statutes such as the Town and Country Planning
Act, Municipal Laws, Urban/Metropolitan Planning/
Development Act, Improvement Trust Act, Industrial Development Act, Cantonment
Board Act, Major Ports Act etc.
The principles for spatial planning are extended to all areas, whether administered by the regular administrative
system of the State Government or by special laws such as for the ports, cantonments, railways, industrial zones etc.
The concepts of regional planning should be extended to all contiguous areas that are socially, economically or
functionally interdependent.
For instance, a civilian town and the adjoining port/ cantonment/railway area should be covered by an umbrella
regional plan, even though the actual authority for administration of the individual piece of land would continue to
vest with the respective organization, such as the Port Trust, Cantonment Board, Railway Administration, etc.
At times, even certain infrastructure could be planned and developed in a regional set up.
For instance, the road network/ mobility plan, or the drainage plan could more efficiently be executed in a regional
set up, rather than limiting to the jurisdiction of the statutory authorities administering their respective lands.
Typically, a town in the vicinity of a industrial zone (SEZ etc.) should become the node for notification of a Regional
Planning Authority (RPA), wherein the region would be defined to include the town, the nearby SEZ and the
adjoining villages. A port Area and it adjoining city and villages should put together be
notified as a Region, with a RPA duly notified to prepare a regional plan and
coordinate/ oversee the implementation of the regional plan. Such RPA may be
chaired by a senior officer, such as the District Collector or could even have a fulltime
officer. Senior representatives of the various authorities administering the
constituent areas (ports, villages, cantonment, SEZ etc.) should be represented on
the executive body of the RPA.
Similar RPAs may be notified for tourist areas, religious places and the influence
zones of the transit corridors such as national/ state highways, expressways, and
Simplified Development Promotion Regulations
The purpose of the Simplified Development Promotion Regulations is to guide the
formation of zonal and building regulations by State Departments and by Local Urban
Bodies. These regulations, besides prescribing the various provisions, also allow
freedom to adopt appropriate practices in lines with the approach to the human
settlement, both urban and regional. These can be:
Development plans for its zonal planning and building design,
Fire safety provisions,
Environmental and geographical variation,
Protection and improvement of local environment,
Socioeconomic considerations,
Towards the creation of sustainable human settlements.