Challenges of Rapid Urbanization

Why in news?

World Cities Day is celebrated on 31st October every year by the United Nations General Assembly.

What is urbanization?

• Urbanization – Urbanization the process of people moving from rural to urban areas, and the corresponding growth in the number of people living in cities.
• Significance – Urbanization, along with industrialization and sectoral change, hold key to the nature of soci0-economic transformation in country.
• Global trend – The world’s urban population has reached an estimated 57.5% of the world’s total population, with projections to double by 2050.
• Urbanization in India – As per 2011 census, urban population in India was about 31.2% of the total population.
• By 2036, towns and cities will be home to 40% of the population, with urban areas contributing almost 70 % to GDP.
• South India is one of the most urbanized regions of the country with Tamil Nadu and Kerala reaching 50% urbanization.
• Rapid urbanization – When urbanization happens at a rate that puts pressure on infrastructure, healthcare, and other services.
• India experiencing rapid urbanization with an annual growth rate of 2.3%.

October 31 is observed every year as World Cities Day. The theme for this year’s World Cities Day is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalyzing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’.

What are the concerns in rapid urbanization in India?

• Groundwater depletion – Due to rapid urbanization and industrial expansion ground water is depleted at a faster rate than its recharge capacity.

• Climate change – Rapid urbanization intensifies pollution and contributes to urban flooding.
  • Cities in the NCR region rank among the most polluted.
• Urban planning issues – Outdated spatial plans fail to address population growth has led to overcrowding.
  • 40% of urban residents in India are living in slums.
• Urban heat islands – Urbanization replaces natural land cover with dense built environments like buildings and pavement that absorb and retain heat, creating a heat island effect within the city limits.
• De-industrialization – Leads to declining share of employment in manufacturing which deprives the jobs for growing population in cities.
  • It has led to job losses in cities like Ahmedabad, Delhi, Surat, and Mumbai.
• Governance issues – Despite the 74^th Constitutional Amendment, most urban planning remains centralized, with minimal powers to local urban bodies.
• This limits effective local governance, as key functions outlined in the 12th Schedule remain under centralized or state control.
• Lack of funding – Cities receive just 0.5% of GDP in intergovernmental transfers, limiting their capacity to address local issues.

What are the Impacts of rapid urbanization?

• Growing inequality – Wealthy developments contrast sharply with slum conditions.
• Socio-economic segregation – As city development increasingly caters to the wealthy while ignoring the needs of the broader population.
• Poverty growth – Many people remain below the poverty line due to the prevalence of low-paying, high living costs, and insufficient social support.
• Water scarcity – Over use and consumption in urban areas leads to acute water crisis in cities.
• Lack of infrastructural development – Cities here often suffer from housing shortages, poor access to clean water and sanitation.
• Poor living conditions – Without adequate infrastructure in urban areas leading to poor living conditions.
• Informal sector jobs – Street vending, rickshaw driving, and informal construction work, often become the primary livelihood for migrant and low-skilled workers.
• These roles typically fall outside labor regulations, leaving workers without social security.
• Poor working conditions – Informal workers in urban areas often face hazardous work environments, including unregulated construction sites and polluted spaces.
• Environmental degradation – Urbanization leads to the destruction of natural habitats, deforestation, and a reduction in green spaces to make way for housing, industry, and infrastructure.
• Pollution crisis – Cities face severe pollution and 10 most polluted cities in India, eight are in the NCR region around Delhi.

What lies ahead?

• Increase investments in eco-friendly housing, improved public transit, and infrastructure to withstand climate events.
• Enhanced community engagement and urban governance.
• Promote sustainable building materials, water conservation, and emergency preparedness to withstand climate disruptions.
• Smart city solutions can improve the quality of life by using Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics to manage resources efficiently.
• Focus on upskilling the urban workforce, especially in the informal sector.

Reference

The Hindu| Challenges of Urbanization in India