Urbanisation: Causes, Impacts & Smart Cities - PDF

Here's the conversion of the image into a markdown format: # Urbanisation **Learning Outcomes:** By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: * Define the term urbanization. * Identify the causes of urbanization. * Describe the impacts of urbanization. * Discuss ways to reduce the neg...

Here's the conversion of the image into a markdown format: # Urbanisation **Learning Outcomes:** By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: * Define the term urbanization. * Identify the causes of urbanization. * Describe the impacts of urbanization. * Discuss ways to reduce the negative impact of urbanization. * Differentiate between smart cities and other urban centers. * List steps taken at the local level to keep urban areas clean. ## Urbanisation Urbanisation is the process by which towns and cities grow. It is marked by a gradual increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas, as compared to rural areas. Urbanisation is largely the result of rural-urban migration and a natural growth in urban population. The first major spurt in urbanisation occurred in the 18th century, when as a result of the Industrial Revolution, many workers began to migrate from rural areas to urban centres in search of employment in factories. With the further development of industries, technology, housing and transportation, more people began living in urban areas, causing the cities to expand. At present, around 54% of the world's population lives in urban areas, and this proportion is expected to increase to 66% by 2050. *Image of Singapore city with caption: Singapore is a city-state—a country where 100% of its population lives in the city* ## Spotlight: Industrial Revolution For thousands of years, goods like cloth, tools, weapons and pottery were made by people in their houses using simple hand-held tools. Then in the 18th century, in England, steam-powered machines were invented that could spin yarn and weave cloth at a fraction of the time it took people to do the same work. The production of goods now moved from the houses of craftspeople to factories, where the goods could be produced on a large scale using large machines. This system of using machines to mass-produce goods in factories brought about such a radical change in the lives of people that it came to be called the Industrial Revolution. Many of the things we take for granted today, like electricity, cars, trains, telephones, television, computers and even large shopping centers, are a result of the Industrial Revolution. ## CAUSES OF URBANISATION There are many factors that encourage the movement of people from rural to urban areas. *Image featuring two satellite images, one labeled "Delhi in 1991" and the other "Delhi in 2016", illustrating the city's growth over 25 years.* The main ones are listed below: * The increasing use of machines for agricultural processes like ploughing, sowing, harvesting and threshing has left many agricultural workers jobless. These people move to towns and cities to work in factories as unskilled or semi-skilled labourers. * Displaced by machines, skilled craftspeople like weavers, blacksmiths and carpenters are also moving to urban centers in search of better opportunities. Here their skills are absorbed by emerging industries and factories. * People living in urban areas have better access to facilities like piped drinking water, electricity, and efficient systems of transport and communication. * Medical facilities are usually more advanced and easily accessible in urban areas. This attracts people who have health issues and need access to medical care. * The distribution of goods and services, and opportunities for trade and commercial transactions, are better in cities than in rural areas. * Opportunities and facilities for education are better in towns and cities than in rural areas. * Employment opportunities are also greater in urban centers than in rural areas. Thus, one of the main causes for urbanisation is the increasing need felt by people living in rural areas to take advantage of the opportunities, facilities and better standards of living found in urban areas. *Image of a crowded metro train in London with caption: Inside a metro train in London: Cities offer well-developed public transport systems, such as local trains, buses and metro rails, that cut down the commute time for people who travel from the suburbs (outer parts of the city) to their places of work.* ## IMPACT OF URBANISATION Today, the impact of rapid urbanisation can be seen in countries around the world. ### Positive Impact of Urbanisation When urbanization takes place in a planned and efficient manner, it has a positive impact on the lives of people and the development of a country. * Urban areas make efficient use of resources. For example, multi-story apartments built on small tracts of land accommodate a large number of people. Means of public transport like the Metro rail and buses help save fuel and energy by transporting millions of people in a day. * Urban areas offer better employment opportunities. They thus give people a chance to improve their standard of living and enjoy a better quality of life. * Better access to educational and training facilities in cities creates a skilled workforce. * As centers of commercial activity, urban areas play an important role in economic development. * People living in cities are exposed to a variety of cultures. This usually makes them more broad-minded and tolerant than people living in rural areas. ### Negative Impact of Urbanisation However, when urbanisation takes place in an unplanned and uncontrolled manner, it has a negative impact on quality of life and on the environment. * As more people move into cities, there is more pressure on the limited land available. The cost of housing thus increases, forcing many people to live in cramped spaces with minimal facilities. Lack of affordable housing leads to the growth of settlements with very poor living conditions called slums. * The high density of population in urban areas leads to an increase in the demand and consumption of resources like water and power, which in turn leads to scarcity. * Overpopulation in urban areas makes the job market more competitive, leading to an increase in unemployment. It also puts a strain on law enforcement systems, resulting in higher crime rates. * Roads become more congested, leading to higher commute times and increased levels of stress. *Image of a city with good infrastructure, such as roads and bridges with skyscrapers in the background and caption: Cities enjoy better infrastructural facilities, such as good roads, bridges and public transport systems, than rural areas.* *Image of a slum with poor sanitation and cramped houses, with caption: Dharavi, in Mumbai, is the largest slum area in the world. It is also home to several thriving businesses and industries.* ## WAYS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF URBANISATION ### Reducing the Push Factors of Rural-urban Migration Rural-urban migration is one of the major causes of urbanization. Some ways to reduce this include: * Opportunities for employment and education should be created in rural areas. * Rural areas must be equipped with basic amenities such as electricity, sanitation, basic medical care and access to clean water. * Setting up industries in rural areas can help the development of those areas and create employment. *Images of crowded Mumbai central station, people wearing masks on bikes and garbage.* ### Better Management and Planning in Urban Areas The problems associated with urbanisation can be managed with proper planning and implementation of certain measures. * The use of space in cities and surrounding areas should be properly planned, with spaces allocated for housing, transport, and commercial activities. This will help decrease the problems associated with overcrowding in urban areas. * Authorities must build affordable houses in suburban areas. This can curb the development of slums. * Development and maintenance of infrastructure is important in cities as many people rely on it. * To control pollution, strict rules must be imposed on industries. They should be made to control harmful emissions. They must also be encouraged to adopt sustainable practices like using renewable sources of power and recycling waste. ## Keeping Urban Areas Clean Keeping urban areas clean is a huge challenge as enormous amounts of waste are generated each day. The local government or Municipality in a city plays an important role in keeping the city clean by carrying out the following tasks: * Garbage generated in households is collected and disposed of by municipal workers. They empty the garbage into municipal trucks which then take the garbage to a dumping ground. * Municipal workers clean roads, streets and other public spaces. * Municipalities maintain a number of public toilets around the city, thus preventing urination and defecation in public spaces. Despite the services provided by the Municipalities, several places in urban areas remain unclean. The number of dustbins and public toilets are not enough to meet the needs of the population. In such cases, local communities and non-government organisations (NGOs) can take steps to keep the city clean. Local communities should: * Avoid littering, and dispose waste properly in dustbins. * Organize regular cleanliness drives where groups of citizens come together to clean a dirty area in the city. Cleanliness drives by local communities not only help keep urban areas clean but also create a sense of responsibility in the community. Several NGOs help keep cities clean. In addition to organizing cleanliness drives, they also come up with solutions to promote cleanliness. ExNoRa and Keep India Clean are examples **Go further...** Sanitation is a major problem in urban areas, caused mainly by a lack of access to toilets. The 2011 Census of India revealed that close to eight million people did not have access to toilets and had to defecate in the open in urban areas. The Indian government launched the Swachh Bharat Mission in October 2014 to eradicate problems associated with sanitation and maintain clean, accessible toilets in all parts of the country. *Images of a municipal worker cleaning the streets and a cleanliness drive* ## SATELLITE CITIES *Image of banner says clean up chennai beach* Every year, NGOs and hundreds of volunteers come together to participate in cleanliness drives to clean up the beaches in and around Chennai. of such NGOs in India. ExNoRa develops programs for waste management and educates citizens on the need to keep the surroundings clean. Keep India Clean works to ensure that restaurants and cafes provide a dustbin outside their premises for customers. This helps in reducing the amount of litter on the streets. A metropolis is the largest and most important city of a region. As important centres of commerce, service and industry, metropolises around the world are growing at a rapid pace. This puts severe pressure on their resources. Satellite cities are small cities built around or near a metropolis to accommodate the excess population and reduce the load on the main city's resources. Satellite cities are planned, funded and developed by authorities such as state governments and the departments of urban planning. **Characteristics of Satellite Cities** * They are smaller than the metropolises they surround. * They are separated from the metropolis by a geographical barrier like a river or a stretch of open land. * They are well-connected to the metropolis by major highways and railways. * They are self-sufficient, and socially and economically independent, with amenities like public transport, markets and hospitals within easy reach of residents. * They have their own municipal corporations and administrative set-ups. * They offer more spacious and affordable housing than the metropolises. * Satellite cities also have enough employment opportunities to support their resident populations. **Examples of Satellite Cities in India** | Metropolis | Satellite cities | | ----------- | ----------------------------------- | | New Delhi | Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida | | Ahmedabad | Gandhinagar, Sanand | | Kolkata | Bidhannagar, Rajarhat, Kalyani | | Mumbai | Navi Mumbai, Dombivli, Thane | | Hyderabad | HITEC City, Vikarabad | *Image of city view with caption Navi Mumbai is a satellite city separated from Mumbai by a creek. It is self-sufficient, has its own municipal corporation and many international organisations have set up offices here. It is connected to Mumbai by railways and highways.* ## SMART CITIES A smart city is a modern city, where **Information and Communication Technology (ICT)** and the Internet are used to improve the infrastructure and the management of the city. ICT uses sensors to monitor the city in real time. The data so gathered is analysed and used to improve services in the city. In a smart city, government and municipal officers can interact directly with the people of the city using ICT and address issues immediately, thereby improving efficiency. It is predicted that by the year 2050, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas; smart cities are being developed as a solution to the problems associated with urbanisation. Amsterdam, New York City, Nice, Barcelona, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manchester, Tokyo and London are some examples of smart cities around the world. *Image of electric taxi charging in Amsterdam with caption An electric taxi charging in Amsterdam: In Amsterdam, petrol and diesel-based vehicles are slowly being replaced by plug-in electric vehicles.* **Features of Smart Cities** * Smart cities are meant to be sustainable and environment-friendly. They are therefore built to make maximum use of clean and renewable energy. Energy-efficient technology is used in homes, offices and transportation systems. * Waste management is more efficient. Steps taken to reduce the amount of waste generated include the reduced use of plastic. These measures lead to a significant drop in the levels of pollution. * Planned utilization of resources ensures a stable supply of water and electricity to all residents. * Smart cities are planned to provide adequate and affordable housing for all. Space is efficiently shared between recreational areas, commercial areas and residential areas. * Smart cities ensure good connectivity. Walking areas are marked out for pedestrians, and bike lanes are created for cyclists. * Smart cities use technology for law enforcement, thus making the cities safer and more secure for residents. *Image of bikes lane with caption Bikes lanes encourage the use of bicycles among commuters, thus reducing pollution and congestion in cities. Many cities also have public bicycle systems the provide bicycles on rent at various accessible points around the city. Many of these services are Internet enabled for easier transactions and information.* * Well-developed e-Governance allows citizens to access several government services online, thus saving them time. E-governance also encourages citizen participation in decision-making. **Smart Cities in India** In India, the government has launched the **Smart Cities Mission** to convert select cities into smart cities. Some of the cities selected are Kochi, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, Bhopal, Surat, Chandigarh, Gwalior, Pune, Lucknow and Thanjavur. Since most of our cities lack even basic infrastructural requirements currently, the Government of India's vision of a **Smart City** is modest compared to global standards. According to the Smart Cities Mission, the main elements of a smart city would include adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, effective sanitation, efficient public transport, affordable housing (especially for the poor), good Internet connectivity, good governance (especially e-Governance and citizen participation), sustainable development, safety and security of citizens, and health and education. **Differences between smart cities and urban centres** | Smart city | Urban centre | | :----------------------------------------------------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------: | | The use of resources is planned and sustainable, ensuring long-term returns. | The use of resources is unplanned and only focuses on maximizing short-term returns. | | Technology is built into the infrastructure to monitor inefficiencies and address them immediately. | Technology is used mainly in the private sector, so inefficiencies in government-run services are not monitored, and thus not addressed. | |Pollution is minimal because of effective waste management and use of clean energy sources, so residents have a clean environment.|Industrial activity, improper waste management, use of fuel-based vehicles pollutes the environment, affecting the health of residents.| | Use of space is well-planned, so housing is affordable and problems related to overcrowding are minimised. |Lack of adequate planning leads to uncontrolled urban growth and development of slums.| **VITAL WORDS** **urbanisation:** the process by which towns and cities grow; it is marked by a gradual increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas, as compared to rural areas **Industrial Revolution:** the period of widespread and rapid change in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries when largely rural and agricultural societies became urban and industrialised, with machines being used to produce goods on a large scale in factories **infrastructure:** the basic structures and facilities which support human life, such as water supply, roads, power supply, garbage disposal systems,sewage plants, housing, cable networks, schools, hospitals, airports, bridges, railways **commute:** travel regularly to and from one's place of work **metropolis:** a large and important city; usually the capital city of a country, state or region **satellite city:** small cities built around metropolises **smart city:** a city whose infrastructure and management are supported by information and communication technology **information and communication technology (ICT):** technology that allows people and organisations to interact in the digital world; it includes digital technology, telecommunications and IT