Geo-Eye

Abstract

Urbanization in India began to accelerate after independence, due to the country's adoption of a mixed economy, which gave rise to the development of the private sector. Urbanization is taking place at a faster rate in India. Population residing in urban areas in India, according to 1901 census, was 11.4%.This count increased to 28.53% according to 2001 census, and crossing 30% as per 2011 census, standing at 31.16%. According to a survey by UN State of the World Population report in 2007, by 2030, 40.76% of country's population. Urbanization is expected to reside in urban areas. As per World Bank, India, along with China, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the U.S, will lead the world's urban population surge by 2050. Urbanization no doubt has a positive impact on income level, employment, production, infrastructure and education, but it is accompanied with a number of problems such as shortages of housing, inadequate water supply, inadequate sanitation and waste disposal facilities. Added to all these problems, in the developing countries, administration is weak and slack, traffic systems are not managed properly, industrial rules and regulations are flouted, and they are not implemented seriously. As a result deterioration of urban environment has increased in many folds than what it should have been actually. This research paper aims to highlight problems of Urbanization in India and emerging challenges with special focus on urban environmental issues like air, water, land and noise pollution, problems of housing, traffic congestion, slums, and solid waste management and also to suggest measures to overcome all these problems. The study reveals that rapid growth of population in the small and large cities of India has resulted in deterioration of urban environment giving rise to shanty town and slums, heavy population concentration, uncontrolled land use, problem of solid waste traffic congestion, and pollution.

Keywords: Urbanization, Urban environment, urban challenges Ecological management