Spatial Disparities, Transport Infrastructure, and Decentralization Policy in the Delhi Region
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 143, Issue 3
Abstract
Spatial-development policies in India have aimed to achieve balanced regional development. However, these attempts have had limited success, as development is still concentrated in certain large urban areas. For that reason, sustainably accommodating the country’s projected population increase remains a challenge. Taking the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) as a case study and utilizing digitized tehsil boundaries and transport networks from regional plans, along with the recently released 2011 census enumeration, this paper investigates both recent settlement developments and the influence of the transport infrastructure on balanced regional development. The results reveal that population growth is concentrated in and around Delhi. A positive relationship has been established between the provision of major road infrastructure and employment growth in the peripheral areas. According to current trends, reducing disparities will require a mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches to enforce infrastructure-integrated spatial development and to strengthen the regional and local authorities to facilitate plan formulation and implementation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Marcel Thum, Clemens Deilmann, and Namperumal Sridharan for their comments on an earlier draft of this paper.
References
ADB (Asian Development Bank). (2010). “Proposed multitranche financing facility India: National Capital Region urban infrastructure financing facility.”, Asian Development Bank, Mandaluyong, Philippines.
Ali, M., and Varshney, D. (2012). “Spatial modelling of urban growth and urban influence: Approach of regional development in developing economy.” J. Urban Reg. Anal., 4(2), 129–148.
Annez, P., and Buckley, R. (2009). “Urbanization and growth: Setting the context.” Urbanization and growth, M. Spence, P. Annez, and R. Buckley, eds., World Bank, Washington, D.C.
ArcMap 10.4.1 [Computer software]. Geographic Information System Environment, Redlands, CA.
Banerjee, T. (1996). “Role of indicators in monitoring growing urban regions: The case of planning in India’s national capital region.” J. Am. Plann. Assoc., 62(2), 222–235.
Barca, F., McCann, P., and Rodriguez-Pose, A. (2012). “The case for regional development intervention: Place-based versus place-neutral approaches.” J. Reg. Sci., 52(1), 134–152.
Batten, D. (1995). “Network cities: Creative urban agglomeration for the 21st century.” Urban Studies, 32(2), 313–327.
Baum-Snow, N., Brandt, L., Henderson, J., Turner, M., and Zhangd, Q. (2015). “Roads, railroads and decentralization of Chinese cities.” Working Paper, International Growth Center, London.
Berry, B. (1967). Geography of market centers and retail distribution, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Bröcker, J., Korzhenevych, A., and Schürmann, C. (2010). “Assessing spatial equity and efficiency impacts of transport infrastructure projects.” Transp. Res. Part B, 44(7), 795–811.
Camagni, R., and Salone, C. (1993). “Network urban structures in northern Italy: Elements for a theoretical framework.” Urban Studies, 30(6), 1053–1064.
Cantos, P., Gumbau-Albert, M., and Maudos, J. (2005). “Transport infrastructures, spillover effects and regional growth: Evidence of the Spanish case.” Transp. Rev., 25(1), 25–50.
Chand, P. (2012). “Implications of industrial relocation on workers in Delhi.” Social Change, 42(1), 49–68.
Chen, Y., and Zhou, Y. (2006). “Reprinting central place networks using ideas from fractals and self-organized critically.” Environ. Plann. B, 33(3), 345–364.
Datta, P. (2006). “Urbanisation in India.” European Population Conf., Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
DDA (Delhi Development Authority). (2010). “Master plan for Delhi-2021.” Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi, India.
DIVA-GIS [Computer software]. LizardTech, Inc., Seattle.
Dodgson, J. (1973). “External effects and secondary benefits in road investment appraisal.” J. Transp. Econ. Policy, 7(2), 169–185.
Dupont, V. (2011). “The dream of Delhi as a global city.” Int. J. Urban Reg. Res., 35(3), 533–554.
Dutt, A. (1999). “Organisations and approaches for the development and provision of infrastructure in the NCT of Delhi.” Urban growth and development in Asia—Volume 1: Making the cities, G. P. Chapman, A. K. Dutt, and R. W. Bradnock, eds., Ashgate, Sydney, Australia, 455–480.
Geofabrik [Computer software]. Geofabrik GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Ghani, E., Goswami, A., and Kerr, W. (2015). “Highway to success: The impact of the golden quadrilateral project for the location and performance of Indian manufacturing.” Econ. J., 126(591), 317–357.
Ghertner, D. (2011). “Gentrifying the state, gentrifying participation: Elite governance programs in Delhi.” Int. J. Urban Reg. Res., 35(3), 504–532.
Gill, I. (2010). “Regional development policies: Place-based or people-centred?” ⟨http://www.voxeu.org/article/regional-development-policies-place-based-or-people-centred⟩ (Sep. 19, 2015).
GoI (Government of India). (2001a). “Primary census abstract: Open Government Data (OGD) platform India.” The Registrar General and Census Commissioner. New Delhi.
GoI (Government of India). (2001b). “Towns Directory-2001: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan. Ministry of home affairs.” The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi, India.
GoI (Government of India). (2006). “Towards faster and more inclusive growth. An Approach to the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012).” Planning Commission, New Delhi, India.
GoI (Government of India). (2007). “Local governance: An inspiring journey into the future.”, Second Administrative Reform Commission, New Delhi, India.
GoI (Government of India). (2011a). “Primary census abstract: Ministry of home affairs.” The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi, India.
GoI (Government of India). (2011b). “Provisional population totals: Urban agglomerations and cities.” Ministry of Home Affairs, The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi, India.
Grant-Muller, S., Mackie, P., Nellthorp, J., and Pearman, A. (2001). “Economic appraisal of European transport projects: The state of the art revisited.” Transp. Rev., 21(2), 237–261.
Henderson, V. (2002). “Urbanization in developing countries.” World Bank Res. Obs., 17(1), 89–112.
Hsu, W.-T. (2012). “Central place theory and city size distribution.” Econ. J., 122(563), 903–932.
ICICI (Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India). (2013). “Greater Noida and Noida extension: Micro-market analysis.” ICICI Property Services, ICICI PSG Research and Consultancy, Mumbai, India.
Jain, M., and Siedentop, S. (2014). “Is spatial decentralization in national capital region Delhi, India effective? An intervention-based evaluation.” Habitat Int., 42, 30–38.
Jain, M., Siedentop, S., Taubenböck, H., and Sridharan, N. (2013). “Suburbanisation to counterurbanisation? Investigating dynamics of urban development in national capital region Delhi.” Environ. Urbanization ASIA, 4(2), 247–266.
Kanbur, R., and Venables, A. (2007). “Spatial inequality and development: Overview of UNU-WIDER Project.” Global inequality, D. Held and A. Kaya, eds., Polity Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Kathuria, V. (2001). “Relocating polluting units: Parochialism versus right to live?” Econ. Political Weekly, 36(3), 191–195.
Kennedy, L., et al. (2011). “The politics of large-scale economic and infrastructure projects in fast-growing cities of the south: Literature review.” Chance 2 Sustain, Bonn, Germany.
Khanna, G. (2014). “The road oft taken: The route to spatial development.” ⟨http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2426835⟩ (Nov. 27, 2015).
KMDA (Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority). (2006). “City development plan for Kolkata metropolitan area: An appraisal.” ⟨http://jnnurm.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Kolkata_rep1.pdf⟩ (Jun. 15, 2016).
Kundu, A. (2011). “Trends and processes of urbanization in India.” International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), London.
Laird, J., Nellthorp, J., and Mackie, P. (2005). “Network effects and total economic impact in transport appraisal.” Transp. Policy, 12(6), 537–544.
Maiti, S., and Agrawal, P. (2005). “Environmental degradation in the context of growing urbanization: A focus on the metropolitan cities of India.” J. Human Ecol., 17(4), 277–287.
MapCruzin [Computer software]. HostGIS, Arcata, CA.
Markandey, K., and Anant, G. (2011). “National settlement system of India.” Urban growth theories and settlement systems of India, K. Markandey and G. Anant, eds., Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, India.
Mathur, O. (2005). “Impact of globalisation on cities and city-related policies in India.” Globalisation and urban development, H. Richardson and C.-H. C. Bae, eds., Springer, Germany.
Meijers, E. (2007). “From central place to network model: Theory and evidence of a paradigm-change.” Tijdschriftvoor Economischeen Sociale Geografie, 98(2), 245–259.
Meshram, D. (2006). “Master planning approach: Constraints and prospects.” Urban governance and management: Indian initiatives, P. Rao, ed., Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi, India.
MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority). (1999). “Summary.” Mumbai, India.
Mookherjee, D., and Geyer, M. (2011). “Urban growth in the national capital region of India: Testing the differential urbanization model.” Tijdschriftvoor Econ. Sociale Geografie, 102(1), 88–99.
Mookherjee, D., Geyer, M., and Hoerauf, E. (2014). “Delhi and its peripheral region: Perspectives on settlement growth.” Urban transformations: Centers, peripheries and systems, D. Donoghue, ed., Canterbury Christ Church Univ., Ashgate, U.K.
NCRPB (National Capital Region Planning Board). (1987). “Draft regional plan 2001-National capital region.” Planning Dept., Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, India.
NCRPB (National Capital Region Planning Board). (1988). “Regional plan 2001-National capital region.” Planning Dept., Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, India.
NCRPB (National Capital Region Planning Board). (2005). “Regional plan 2021-National capital region.” Planning Dept., Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, India.
NCRPB (National Capital Region Planning Board). (2013). “Draft revised regional plan 2021: National capital region.” Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, India.
PC (Planning Commission). (2013). “Twelfth five year plan (2012–2017): Economic sectors.” Government of India, Vol. II, SAGE Publications India, New Delhi, India.
Rajagopalan, S., and Tabarrok, A. (2014). “Lessons from Gurgaon, India’s private city.”, Dept. of Economics, George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA.
Saitluanga, B. (2013). “Globalisation, urbanisation and spatial inequality in India with special reference to North East India.” Space Culture India, 1(2), 21–34.
Sankhe, S., et al. (2010). “India’s urban awakening: Building inclusive cities, sustaining economic growth.” Mckinsey Global Institute, London.
Sridhar, K. (2007). “Density gradients and their determinants: Evidence from India.” Reg. Sci. Urban Econ., 37(3), 314–344.
Sridhar, K. (2010). “Impact of land use regulations: Evidence from India’s cities.” Urban Studies, 47(7), 1541–1569.
Tiwari, G. (2011). “Key mobility challenges in Indian cities.” ernational Transport Forum, Leipzig, Germany.
TPO (Town Planning Organization). (1956). “Interim general plan for greater Delhi.” Ministry of Health, Government of India, Delhi, India.
UN-Habitat (United Nation Habitat). (2008). State of the world’s cities 2008/2009: Harmonious cities, Earthscan, London.
Vaidya, C. (2009). “Urban issues, reforms and way forward in India.”, DEA, Springfield, VA.
WB (World Bank). (2008). “India: Accelerating growth and development in the lagging regions of India.”, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, Washington, DC.
WB (World Bank). (2013). “Urbanization beyond municipal boundaries: Nurturing metropolitan economies and connecting peri-urban areas in India.” Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 143 • Issue 3 • September 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 15, 2016
Accepted: Nov 7, 2016
Published online: Feb 10, 2017
Discussion open until: Jul 10, 2017
Published in print: Sep 1, 2017
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.