INTRODUCTION TO TOWN PLANNING :-1)Planning means pre-thinking and pre-arranging things.

2)It is
considered a science and art. 3)It is pre-thinking and pre-arranging things. 4)Planning is a future-
oriented problem solving process. 5)It is a way of thinking about social and economic problems. 6)It is
concerned with the relation of goals to collective decisions and strives for comprehensiveness in policies
and programs (freidman). 7)It is the link between technical knowledge and action in the public domain.
8)An orderly sequence of activities that will lead to the accomplishment of stated goals.

What is town planning?:- 1)It is the art and science of organizing land use and siting of buildings and
communication routes to provide best possible degree of economy, beauty and convenience in terms of
the available resources and time.

2)The town creating buildings and environments to meet the various needs such as social, cultural,
economic and recreational etc. and to provide healthy conditions for both rich and poor to live, to work,
and to play or relax, thus bringing about the social and economic well-being for the majority of mankind.

3)Town Planning can be a tool of balancing economic and social aspects of development by integrated
spatio-economic planning.

4)Town Planning :- a)Well balanced, social and economic development, b) improvement of life quality,
c)Responsible admin of resources and environment protection. d) Rational use of land.

5) The simplest definition of urban planning is that it is the organization of all elements of a town or
other urban environment. Town Planning:- a)Physical:-Built Enviornment, b)Social:-Man’s
interrelationship and behaviour, c)Cultural:-Spiritual environment, d)Economic:-Finnancial Environment,
e)Political:- ideological environment, f)Ecological:- Natural Environment.

Town planning in Ancient India:- a)Planning of towns was done on scientific bases even in Vedic times
b)Ancient literature such as vedas, puranas, shastras contains some of principles and theories of town
planning. c)Nature and growth: governed by site conditions. d)Location: river banks, sea shore or by the
side of big lake. e)Flowing stream: for sanitary requirements f)Towns on river were oblong shape, to
take max advantage of river g)Rivers: Indians always loved, glorified and worship.

Objects of town planning:- a)Beauty:- Use of natural surroundings • Architectural finishes to various
components • Preservation of trees/greenery • Architectural control on public/semi-public buildings,
historic, ancient buildings etc.

b)Convenience:- Various economic, social and recreational amenities to be given to public, such as •
Cheap power • Proper industrial sites • Transport facilities • Adequate water supply • Easy sewage
disposal • Open spaces/ parks/ town halls/ play grounds/ theatres etc.

c)Environment:- Complex problems in urban living such as • Travel to work • Long working hrs • Less/
no time for society • Better relation between man and environment shall be developed.

d) Right use of land for right purpose • Provide parks/ playgrounds for public • Maintain pollution of
various forms to lowest possible deg • Achieved by dividing land into various zones resi/comm/ind etc •
Avoid encroachment of one zone upon the other.
Principles:- a)There should be no haphazard method in planning process.
b. Housing accommodation to various classes of people should be allowed to develop. If slums are
existing, they should be pulled down by making some alternate arrangement of accommodation in
transit camps for dishoused persons.
c. Civic amenities like shopping centres, dispensaries, schools, nursery etc. should be provided to all the
residents.
d. Adequate open spaces should be reserved for public recreation centres and also for future expansion
of the town.
e. Public and semi-public buildings should be grouped and distributed neatly throughout the town.
f. The system of zoning should be strictly followed. The town should be divided into suitable zones such
as residential zone, commercial zones, industrial zone and recreational zone etc.
g. The growth of the town should be controlled by the provision' of green belt, which is an open strip of
land all round the town or city reserved for special purpose of limiting the growth of the city. It is
primarily meant for intensive cultivation of vegetables, fruits, farm industry like poultry farms, dairies
etc. It also provides sites for recreational amenities like parks, playgrounds and picnic spots etc. It also
serves as a sanitary cordon to prevent the formation of slums. At least it keeps its growth away from the
town.

Forms of Planning:-
(i) Local Planning: It is largely influenced by the economic conditions for the development of the town.
Keeping in view of these, the development plan is prepared. The population is spread over the town
uniformly keeping the density of population as low as possible. Zones are formed and traffic regulations
are maintained. '

(ii) Country Planning: The country is allowed to develop in an orderly manner and on pre-determined
lines. There should be no haphazard (laissez faire) methods in the planning. The town should be linked
with the surrounding villages by suitable transport facilities. Scope should be given to village industries
in the form of poultry farms, dairies, weaving industries maintaining a proper balance with the
agriculture in the village development scheme.

(iii) Regional Planning: Regional planning means planning of a much larger unit than a town called
'region'. The planning is done more or less on the same principles of town planning. Region includes the
territory lying within easy reach such as 15 to 50 km and containing number of villages and townships.
The regional planning helps to develop the region in a co-ordinate manner. It deals with planning of
regional highways, regional transport, regional water supply, drainage etc. It also takes into account the
overall development of towns, villages in the region and provides sites for new towns for rehabilitation
for the displaced persons from the main city.

(iv) National Planning: The planning process is done on a national level. It considers the resources,
potentialities in different fields of the nation as a whole. It helps to utilise the national resources in the
best possible way for the development of the nation. Works of national importance such as Railways,
Irrigation, Heavy Industries, Hydro-electric Works come under National Planning. Our various Five Year
Plans can serve as an example of National Planning

(v) International Planning: International planning came into existence with the establishment of United
Nations Organization or UNO. It aims at promoting cooperation, goodwill among different nations of the
world. UNO has appointed various agencies to conduct the surveys in different fields of human life, like
health, housing, food, education etc. and to provide suitable solutions to these problems at
international level.