Human Settlement and Planning CHANDIGARH
Human Settlement and Planning CHANDIGARH
Human Settlement and Planning CHANDIGARH
CHANDIGARH
INTRODUCTION
Chandigarh is a city and a union territory in India that serves as the capital of the two neighbouring states
of Punjab and Haryana. The city is unique as it is not a part of either of the two states but is governed
directly by the Union Government, which administers all such territories in the country.
Chandigarh is bordered by the state of Punjab to the north, the west and the south, and by the state
of Haryana to the east.
It was one of the early planned cities in post-independence India and is internationally known for its
architecture and urban design. The master plan of the city was prepared by Swiss-French architect Le
Corbusier, which transformed from earlier plans created by the Polish architect Maciej Nowicki and the
American planner Albert Mayer.
The city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the country. The city was reported to be one of the
cleanest in India based on a national government study.
According to a 2015 study, Chandigarh is named as the happiest city in India.
In 2015, an article published by BBC named Chandigarh as one of the few master-planned cities in the
world to have succeeded in terms of combining monumental architecture, cultural growth and modernisation.
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION
•Chandigarh is located near the foothills of
the Sivalik range of the Himalayas in northwest India. It
covers an area of approximately 114 km2. It borders the
states of Haryana and Punjab. The exact geographic co-
ordinates of Chandigarh are 30.74°N 76.79°E. It has an
average elevation of 321 metres (1053 ft).
•The city, lying in the northern plains, includes a vast area
of flat, fertile land.
CLIMATE
•Chandigarh has a humid subtropical climate
characterised by a seasonal rhythm: very hot summers,
mild winters, unreliable rainfall and great variation in
temperature (−1 °C to 46 °C OR 30.2 °F to 114 °F). The
average annual rainfall is 1110.7 mm. The city also
receives occasional winter rains from the Western
Disturbance originating over the Mediterranean Sea.
HISTORY
Chandigarh was the dream city of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
After the partition of India in 1947, the former British province of Punjab was split
between East Punjab in India (mostly Sikhs and Hindus) and West
Punjab in Pakistan (mostly Muslim). The Indian Punjab required a new capital city to
replace Lahore, which had become part of Pakistan during the partition. Therefore,
an American planner and architect Albert Mayer was tasked to design a new city
called "Chandigarh" in 1949.
Le Corbusier designed many administration buildings, including the High Court, the
Palace of Assembly and the Secretariat Building. Le Corbusier also designed the
general layout of the city, dividing it into sectors.
On 1 November 1966, the newly formed state of Haryana was carved out of the
eastern portion of East Punjab, in order to create a new state for the
majority Haryanvi-speaking people in that portion, while the western portion of
East Punjab retained a mostly Punjabi-speaking majority and was renamed
as Punjab. Chandigarh was located on the border of both states and the states
moved to incorporate the city into their respective territories. However, the city of
Chandigarh was declared a union territory to serve as capital of both states.
PLANNING
NEW CAPITOL CITY AND ADMINISTRATION CENTRE ACCOMODATING HALF A MILLION PEOPLE AND
EXPANDABLE TO ONE MILLION.
MAYERS PLAN :
LOCATED BETWEEN TWO BOUNDRY RIVERS .
FAN SHAPED PLAN.
GOVT. CENTRE - NORTH EAST SIDE OF THE CITY .
SUPER BLOCK – ACCOMODATING SOME 1500
FAMILIES.
THREE SUPER BLOCKS MAKE A DISTRICT .
INDUSTRIAL AREA PLANNED IN SOUTHERN CORNER.
ADMINISTRATION AREA IN NORTH EAST.
2 LARGE PARK LAND ZONES ACROSS THE CITY .
FUTURE EXPANSION IN THE SOUTH WEST ACROSS THE
PLAN .
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
GROWTH OVER TIME
STAGE 5
STAGE 4
GROWTH OVER TIME
STAGE 6
STAGE 7
LANDMARKS- LE CORBUSIER
THE CAPITOL COMPLEX
GEOMETRIC HILL