Assessing Inclusive Approach in Urban Planning Process for the Case of Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

The Challenges of Urbanization in India are unprecedented in scale and significance. It can be better understood by the proportion of population in India and the lack of social and physical infrastructure required to cater the needs of the target. The increasing number of slums reveals the imbalance effectively. In order to ensure positive growth of our cities and basic services to our citizens, urgent steps are required. Also, the efforts should be taken to avoid urban decay. The fast growing metropolitan cities in India has contributed negatively in the development process through different issues. Lopsided pattern of urbanization and improper planning initiatives has led to serious problems in urban infrastructure and services like housing, transport, water supply, sanitation and social infrastructure. The planning processes as of now have neither any way of including spaces for living, working and mobility of the bottom half of the city populations nor any participatory processes built into the system to include their aspirations. Taking example of Madhya Pradesh in India, this paper attempts to build the strong critique of the present urban planning practices and processes. Urban planning is majorly a state responsibility in India, thus Madhya Pradesh has been selected for the same and its capital city Bhopal to discuss the problem at grass root level. The study aims to understand urban planning and development process in Madhya Pradesh and finds its shortcoming. Study finally comes with suggestions and recommendations to overcome the issues identified during the plan preparation and its implementation