By Shashikant Nishant Sharma
1. Ancient Urbanisation (c. 2600 BCE – 1500 BCE) – The Indus Valley Civilisation
Major cities: Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi.
Urban characteristics:
Planned cities with grid layouts, drainage systems, standardized baked brick construction.
Citadel and lower town division for administrative, residential, and commercial purposes.
Specialized craft zones, granaries, dockyards (Lothal), and markets.
Economic base: Agriculture (wheat, barley, cotton), trade (Mesopotamia links), and handicrafts.
Significance: Among the world’s earliest examples of planned urban settlements and public infrastructure.
Decline: Around 1500 BCE due to climatic shifts, river changes, decline in trade, and possible socio-political disruptions.
2. Early Historic Urbanisation (c. 600 BCE – 200 CE) – Second Urbanisation
Context: Post-Vedic period saw the emergence of the Mahajanapadas.
Cities: Pataliputra, Rajgir, Taxila, Ujjain, Varanasi, Kaushambi, Mathura.
Characteristics:
Fortified cities, administrative centres, trade hubs.
Growth supported by iron technology (tools, weapons) and agricultural surplus.
Rise of guilds (shrenis) and long-distance trade networks (Silk Route, Indian Ocean trade).
Political developments:
Mauryan Empire (321–185 BCE) under Ashoka expanded urban networks, built roads, rest houses, and irrigation.
Indo-Greek, Shaka, Kushana rulers encouraged cosmopolitan cities like Mathura and Taxila.
3. Classical & Early Medieval Urbanisation (c. 200 CE – 1200 CE)
Gupta Period (c. 320–550 CE):
Urban growth around administrative, religious, and trade centres.
Cities like Pataliputra, Ujjain, Prayag, and Kanchipuram flourished.
Decline after 6th century due to political fragmentation and ruralisation in parts of North India.
South Indian Urban Centres:
Chola, Chera, and Pandya kingdoms developed port cities like Kaveripattinam, Nagapattinam, and Muziris.
Maritime trade with Southeast Asia, China, and the Middle East.
Temple Cities:
Urban growth linked to large temple complexes (e.g., Thanjavur, Madurai, Bhubaneswar).
Served as cultural, economic, and administrative hubs.
4. Medieval Urbanisation (c. 1200 – 1757 CE)
Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 CE):
Establishment of Islamic urban forms – forts, mosques, madrasas, caravanserais, markets (bazaars).
Cities like Delhi, Agra, Jaunpur, Bidar, Gulbarga grew as political capitals.
Mughal Period (1526–1707 CE):
Peak of pre-colonial urbanisation.
Major cities: Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Fatehpur Sikri, Ahmedabad.
Characterised by planned gardens (charbagh), monumental architecture, and bustling markets.
Growth of craft-based urban economies – textiles, metalwork, jewellery.
Regional Kingdoms:
Urbanisation in Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Golconda) and Rajput states (Jaipur, Udaipur).
Flourishing port towns on western and eastern coasts (Surat, Masulipatnam, Hooghly).
5. Colonial Urbanisation (1757 – 1947)
Early British Period:
Three Presidency towns – Calcutta, Bombay, Madras – became administrative and trade hubs.
Colonial urban planning focused on segregation: “White Town” for Europeans and “Black Town” for Indians.
Industrialisation:
Growth of industrial cities (Jamshedpur for steel, Kanpur for leather, Ahmedabad for textiles).
Railway expansion linked inland towns to ports.
Urban Infrastructure:
Introduction of modern municipal governance, sanitation systems, and public institutions.
Port cities like Karachi, Vishakhapatnam, and Cochin modernised for trade.
Impact:
Colonial policies prioritised extraction and trade over indigenous urban development.
Many old towns declined as trade routes shifted to British-controlled ports.
6. Post-Independence Urbanisation (1947 – 1991)
Planned Capital Cities:
Chandigarh (1953) as a modernist planned city by Le Corbusier.
Expansion of New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar.
Industrial & Public Sector Growth:
New industrial townships: Bhilai, Rourkela, Bokaro, Durgapur.
Urban growth linked to Five-Year Plans and PSU investments.
Urban Challenges:
Rural–urban migration led to rapid slum growth.
Limited housing, inadequate water and sanitation.
Institutional Changes:
Municipal reforms, Master Plans (e.g., Delhi Master Plan 1962).
Focus on urban-rural balance through Integrated Urban Development Programmes.
7. Liberalisation and Contemporary Urbanisation (1991 – Present)
Economic Reforms:
Shift to service economy; IT & BPO hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune emerged.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and real estate booms.
Infrastructure Projects:
Metro rail in Delhi (2002) followed by other cities.
Smart Cities Mission (2015), AMRUT, PMAY for housing.
Urban Forms:
Emergence of satellite towns (Gurugram, Noida, Navi Mumbai).
Mixed-use gated communities, malls, business districts.
Challenges:
Congestion, air pollution, water scarcity, and informal settlements.
Climate change impacts and resilience planning.
Recent Trends:
Focus on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), non-motorised transport, and digital governance.
Integration of sustainability and climate resilience in urban policy.
Summary Table – Urbanisation in India (Chronology)
References
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