URBAN FRINGE OF INDIAN CITIES

Urban fringe is the most sought after and at the same time most problematic area of a periurban region. This is the area of future growth, the area in which the city expands, yet, is often subjected to a chaotic development before it is finally merged in the city. An area of transition, between the rural and the urban, the fringe has been the subject of study by different disciplines.

The present volume is a collection of essays written by some of the well-known geographers, architects, planners and social scientists from India and abroad who present their own perspective on the nature of the fringe. It acquaints the reader with the historic development of suburban areas and the manifestations of the present urban expansion. The book explores the rural – urban dichotomy, the fast-paced welcome and unwelcome changes, the problems of its development, and an overall impact of urban expansion on the economic life of the people. It evaluates the role of urban planning and the shortcomings that creep in during the period of plan implementation, following invariable interference from politicians and land speculators. The book would be a useful reading for students of urbanism and all others who are interested in India’s urban future.

Jutta K. Dikshit has been teaching geography at the Department of Geography, University of Pune, Pune. She studied geography and German language and literature at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany), and obtained her doctoral degree from the Sorbonne, Paris. Before coming to India she worked as a lecturer at the University of Saarbrücken for a number of years.

Her major interests are geomorphology, climatology, geographical thought and regional geography. Her research papers are mainly in the field of physical geography. Dr. Dikshit is closely associated with the Institute of Indian Geographers as its treasurer.