Town Planning for India:

India is an old country. Initially settlements in India started along rivers. At the start of civilisation the basic need was food and water. Rivers could provide these needs so the settlement continued where water is easily available. Things changed as the man found methods to carry water and transportation became fundamental need of the man. Therefore, communication methods gained priority over water. Today, development takes place along the road meaning facility of transportation. Town planning also take this in to consideration apart from other indexes like pollution, trees, environment etc. While doing this advantage of existing cities and infrastructure available should be taken in to consideration. In short future planning should develop communication system first, and then establish townships.

There are many communication methods are available. They are listed as under:-

1.      Road.

2.      Train.

3.      Metro Train.

4.      Fast Train.

5.      Helicopter.

6.      Aeroplanes of all capacities.

7.      Water transport.

For surface transport and air transport corridors could be designed and constructed so that existing big towns/cities could be connected. Such connection can consider connecting various forests also. The corridor could be say 200 metre or wider. A strip of say 100 metre or so should be reserved for providing a path for wild animal to wander from 1 forest to other. This should be planted with appropriate categories of trees and bushes and should have adequately tall walls to avoid disturbance to and from the animals who would use this path. Walls are needed for safety of people and also to keep animals safe from people.

Both the sides of forest strip the space should be used for appropriate transport i. e. trains and road transport vehicles. Helipads and aerodromes should be provided at appropriate places near by this corridor. Train stations and road transport stops also should be provided by increasing the width of corridor at interval of say 5 km for trains, 2.5 km for metro train and buses. Similar provision should be made for goods transport also. While providing this special care should be taken for approaches to the station without disturbing other transport paths. This could be done by providing over bridges road vehicular traffic. It would be appropriate to provide rail lines towards centre and road ways on the outer side. Along this strip 20 times land should be used for establishing townships.

If it is considered that 300 metres of corridor is needed for transportation and forest connection 3 km land strip on both sides would be marked for townships. This area should be planned with internal roads and all amenities needed for a town. The amenities should include gardens, playgrounds, stadiums, government offices, police stations, bazaar, parking lots, bus stations, railway stations, public washing/cleaning places for men and women separately and all those requirements needed by people. Rest of the area should be planned for residential and commercial complexes including factories, hotels, private sector offices etc. No construction other than planned shall be allowed in this area. Also no construction outside this area shall be allowed even on temporary basis. Township limit shall be fixed to this area permanently. There shall not be even paths to connect outside area and no public service like water electricity etc. shall be provided from the township.

Land would be a problem. People whose land is taken for development shall be landless and whose land is not used for public amenities would become rich on account of increased land value. The solution could be found by redistributing the land. The entire 6 km wide strip should be redistributed by deducting 10% of the land earmarked for development. Whatever land is earmarked for  residential and commercial complexes including factories, hotels, private sector offices etc. should be sold by cooperative of people whose land is in the strip and the money be distributed among the members of society in the proportion of individual land holding before planning of township. This way justice could be given to the people w/o making them landless. Their holding would be decreased by 10% and money would be paid only after land is sold for housing etc. though.

This method should be fair to all, it would avoid burden on big cities, develop rural area, make available passage for forest animals and maintain ecological balance. Similar planning should be done along the seacoast also.