URBAN TRANSFORMATION OF INDORE

Ar.Soma A Mishra

Under the guidance of Dr.R.K. Pandit

Historical Background:

Situated on one of India’s oldest pilgrimage routes from Mahakaal at Ujjain on river Kshipra, to
Omkareshwar on river Narmada and onwards to Rameshwaram, Indore was a convenient resting
place since historical times.

It was on the route of the Marathas of Deccan on their way to North India. These Maratha
guerilla warriors were in constant battle with the Mughal Empire. Their army transit camps here
attracted the local Zamidars (landlords) who, drawn by the promise of the lucrative trade, settled
in the villages on the banks of the Khan and Saraswati rivers, thereby laying the foundation of
this commerce centre in 1715. In 1741, temple of Indreshwar was erected in the town, from
which it derives the name Indore. [1]

City owes its early growth to trade and commerce, which remains the dominant feature of the
city. The present city has grown over the past 400 years from a small riverside village still
known as Juni Indore. Juni Indore was a halting place for pilgrims and later a camp for the
Mughals and Marathas. In 1728 the Holkars were granted this state. In 1818, Ahilyabai Holkar
shifted the state capital from Maheshwar to Indore, providing a new impetus for the city’s
development. [1]

The administrative complex of Rajwada palace was constructed as the new city center. Trading
communities from all over the region came in large numbers to settle in and around this new city
center. The city became the capital of Indore princely state in 1818 after the British forces under
Sir John Malcolm defeated the Holkar at Mehidpur. Queen of Indore signed the treaty of
Mandsaur by which the control of Indore went in the hand of the East India Company. Between
1948 and 1956, Indore served as the summer capital of the former Madhya Bharat state
established after the independence of India in 1947. Currently it is the commercial capital of state
of Madhya Pradesh. [5]

Geography

Indore is located in the western region of Madhya Pradesh, on the southern edge of the Malwa
plateau, on the Saraswati and Khan rivers, which are tributaries of the Shipra River. Indore has
an average elevation of 550 metre above sea level. It is located on an elevated plain, with the
Yadri range to the south
Climate

Indore
Climate chart
J F M A M J J A S O N D

9 1 2 2 9 134 284 287 211 36 20 9

26 29 34 38 39 35 30 28 29 32 29 26
9 11 16 21 24 24 22 21 20 17 13 10
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm

Indore has a transitional climate between a tropical wet and dry climate and a humid subtropical
climate. Three distinct seasons are observed, summer, monsoon and winter. Summers start in
mid-March and can be extremely hot in April and May. The highest temperatures recorded was
48 °C in 1994. Average Summer Temperature may go as high as 42-44.c (100.4 °F) but humidity
is very low. Due to Indore's location on the southern edge of the Malwa Plateau, a cool breeze
(also referred to as Shab-e-Malwa) in the evenings makes summer nights quite pleasant. The
monsoon season starts in late June, with temperatures averaging around 26 °C (79 °F), with
sustained, torrential rainfall and high humidity. The average rain fall is 36 inches. Winters start
in mid-November and are dry, mild and sunny. Temperatures average about 4–15 °C (39–59 °F),
but can fall close to freezing on some nights. In summer temperature can be sometimes as high
as 48–50 °C (118–122 °F) and in winters it can be as low as 2 °C (36 °F).

Indore gets moderate rainfall of 35 to 38 inches (890 to 970 mm) during July-September due to
the southwest monsoon.

CHRONOLOGICAL POPULATION GROWTH AND GROWTH PATTERN [2]

Population growth and urbanization of the city:

Area of Indore city is 131.0 sq. km (source: Draft development plan 2021) , population is
16,00000. Population increase between 1991 and 2001 has been tremendous, this growth mainly
attributes to the rapid industrial and commercial development leading to migration. This
population growth exerts pressure on natural resources and man made infrastructure.

S.No. Year Area(in sq.km) Population

1. 1741 N.A N.A
2. 1800 4.0 20,000
3. 1850 9.0 45,000
4. 1900 13.4 99,880
5. 1950 17.2 3,10,859
6. 2000 131.1 16,00000
Projected Population
7. 2020 N.A 26,00000
8. 2035 N.A 50,00000

(Source: Town and Country Planning, Indore)

The population of Indore city increased between 1971 to 1981 at 53.8% from 1981 to 1991 at
34.5% and between 1991 to 2001 at 47.9%. The average growth rate of Indore has been 40%
which is higher as compared to the national growth rate @25.7 %

Female population is 912 per 1000 males, which indicates difficult housing situation for working
migrants.
Process of growth and development of the city:

• As a religious route.
• As a fertile agricultural land with farmers settlement.
• As an industrial town.
• As a commercial city of Madhya Pradesh.

YEAR- 1741

• Origin of Indore by the temple ‘Indreshwar’.

• It is developed as religious centre.
• It was used as religious and travelling route from Ujjain to Maheshwar.
• Today the temple is situated 200m away from the river, but once was on the bank
of the river.
• Forest cover existed on the entire region and the River following the natural
contours.

YEAR- 1800

Population: 20,000

Area: 4.0 sq.km

• The area was suitable for the development of new settlement -rich in
natural resources, having fertile land and flat topography.

• The development of new town’Juni Indore’ at the confluence of Khan

river and Saraswati river.

• Well irrigated lands with cash crop were some of the reasons for the
fast development of the region.

• Main economic base: Religion and Agriculture.

• City centre: Shani mandir, Navgriha mandir, Zamindar Palace.

YEAR- 1850

Population:45,000.

Area: 9.0 sq.km.

• Development of the city as Military town,and later took shape of commercial city.
• In 1818 the Holkars shifted the capital from Maheshwar to Indore. Holkar’s capital at
Indore provided new forces for development of the city.
 • Development of the market street (Aara Bazar).
• Established trade links and gained regional importance centre as Agro produce: cotton,
silk, wheat, soyabean.
• Development of water tanks for the irrigation and drinking.

YEAR- 1900

Population:99,880.

Area:13.4 sq.km.

• Further development of industrial area: textile,steel, oil producing-started acting like

magnet.
• Development of railway link joining the pilgrimage routes, trade and commerce grew up
making the city commercially important.
• Development of city accelerated with rail connection.
• Development of State Highway helped in expansion of the city.
• Development of city in all directions: expansion more in east-west direction.
• Industries and their colonies started developing along the river bank.
• In 1912 Shri H.V. Lancaster was invited by the local body to advice in respect of
expansion and improvement of the city.
• In 1918 Sir Patrick Geddes was invited by Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar for advice. He
prepared sanitation and water supply schemes,industrial development schemes, suburban
development, housing schemes and housing etc.

YEAR- 1950

Population:3,10,859.

Area:17.2 sq.km.

• Development of the industrial township at Northern part: Sanwer, Pologround.

• The city started expanding towards the north and east-west direction due to the
development of industries in Dewas, Pithampur and Sanwer.
• The suburbs developed fast.
• With growing industrialization and better connectivity, rapid development of the city
took place. This resulted into large scale migration and sudden increase in population.
 YEAR- 2000[3]

Population: 16, 00000.

Area: 131.0sq.km.

• The river edges became close with industrial buildings and the river was lost to the city.
• The area between development axis and industrial area on north side got saturated.
• Large scale slum-dwellers and encroachments, unthoughtful changing in land-uses and
lack of management of resources has resulted into fast depletion of land and water
resources.

YEAR- 2010[3]

Population: 22, 08724 (envisaged).

Area: 137.17 sq.km.

• City considered under JNNURM for urban development.

• Lot of encroachments planned to be removed, still city and periphery covered for
residential and commercial use like beehives.
• Large scale residential and commercial development.
• Roads being reconstructed under BRTS.

Overall Urban Scenario of Indore

Land use Distribution:

Geographically Indore spreads in an area of 131.0 sq.kms. Distribution is given in the

table

Land Use Area (hectares) Percentage %

Residential 4449 53 %
Commercial 550 6%
Industrial 793 9%
Public and Semi Public 1071 13 %
Recreational 279 3%
Transport 1273 15 %
Water Bodies 128 1%

(Source: Town and Country Planning, Indore)

Urban Growth Trend:

Physical Growth of Indore city, urban sprawl period, area and growth

Sr.No. Year Area Physical Growth % Annual

(hectares) Growth(hectares) average
Growth (%)
1. 1975 2284 2284
2. 1990 6115 3831 167.73 11.18
3. 1996 7747 1632 26.68 4.46
4. 2002 10725 2978 38.44 6.40

(Source: Indore Master Plan- 2021 Draft)

Some Relevant factors:

• It is estimated that by 2050, the world human population will be 8 or 9 billion.

• Almost all this growth will be in less developed countries (LDCs).
• There will be no net increase in rural populations, because drift to urban
areas will outpace natural population growth in rural areas.
• Majority of the Earth's future population growth will be around the edges of
existing cities in LDCs; in other words, peri-urban.
• Throughout the developing world, the largest migration in human history is
currently under way. At present, about 43 percent of the world's population
lives in urban areas (that is, about 2.5 billion urban dwellers). Projections are
that by 2005 about half the world's population will live in urban areas, and by
2025 more than 60 percent will. The urban population in that year will be
about 5.2 billion, and over three-quarters of them will be in developing
countries. That is, 2.7 billion people will be new arrivals within urban areas
within thirty years. Almost all population growth over this period will go into
urban growth.
• By the year 2025, most Asians will be urban dwellers. How well cities function
as a system will determine the future of Asia.
• In the past 30 years the urban population in the Asian and Pacific region has
increased by 560 million people (or 260 per cent).
• In the next 30 years it is expected to increase by about 1,450 million people
(or 250 per cent).

Indore is no exception as an Indian city, has attracted migrants with

its magnetic powers, has spread its hand of urban sprawl covering
agricultural lands within its vicinity – peri-urban development.
 The general trend of growth has been observed to be mainly along the
transportation network. Important S.E.Z s have come up to fulfill the demand
of city.
As an administrative response to the essential economic phenomenon, Indore
Municipal Corporation area limits has been increased through incorporation of
surrounding rural areas.
For population of 25 lakhs an overall area of 26000 ha is required as worked
out on the basis of density @100persons/hectare.

(Source: Indore Master Plan- 2021 Draft)

Slums and Squatter Settlement

According to census 2001, slum population in Indore is 2,59,577 which

include construction workers and agricultural laborers forming temporary
settlements. Main reason is youth migration from rural areas.

Lot of government and non-government agencies are working on the

rehabilitation and up gradation of slum in Indore.

Roadways

Indore is well connected to other parts of India through national and state highways. There are
some major highways which pass through Indore and connect it to some major cities. The major
highways passing through the city are:

• National Highway No. 3 (NH3 - Agra Bombay)

• National Highway No. 59 (NH 59 - Indore Ahmedabad)
• National Highway No. 59A (Indore - Betul)
• State Highway No. 17 (Connecting Bhopal)
• State Highway No. 27 (Indore to Khandwa)
• State Highway No. 34 (Indore to Jhansi)

Water Supply
• Water is a valuable non-renewable natural resource.

• The water resources are depleting day by day due to urbanization.

• Indore city mainly gets water from Narmada river based water system i.e 76.19% of total
water supplied to the city. From Yashwant Sagar about 11.9% and from Bilawali Talab
2.38%, rest 9.53%through dug wells and tube-wells.

• Ground water level is depleting due to rapid urbanization.

• There has been persistent gap between demand and supply since 1930
SN Year Demand Supply Deficit

All figures in MLD

1 1931 20.00 9.00 11.00

2 1939 26.50 29.50 ------

3 1947 37.00 29.50 7.50

4 1970 73.00 47.50 25.50

5 1977 109.00 113.50 ------

6 1989 157.00 113.50 43.50

7 1992 177.00 180.00 -----

8 2000 270.00 190.00 80.00

Economy

In early 20th century, Seth Hukumchand of Indore became first Indian to establish a Jute Mill in
India(Indore)

Indore is the commercial capital of Central India with Large, Medium and Small scale industries.
These industries range from Automobiles to Pharmaceutical and from Petroleum Refineries to
Textile. Indore’s major source of income is from Education, Textile and Metal works Industries.
Major industrial areas in and surrounding the city include the Pithampur Special Economic Zone
and the Sanwer Industrial belt having about 2000 factories of various sizes . Pithampur is also
known as ‘Detroit of India’. [4]

Indore is producing optical fibre for telecommunication and a large number of automobile
industries have been set up in Pithampur. An Air Cargo Complex, Indo- German Tool Room and
an Inland Container Depot are being established at Pithampur. The automobile industry
generated a business of 3000 crores in the last five years, the industry generates a direct and
indirect employment for 35,000 people. [source: MPAKVN office]

The predominant industrial area of city was mill area near Pardesipura and Pologround. The
mills have stopped functioning and the area is in the heart of the city, hence it is to be converted
into residential / commercial use. Pologround is attached to Sanwer Road, hence it is still under
consideration for industrial use.
In the development plan-1991, 1500 hectares of land was provided for industrial purpose but
according to master plan 2011, 2200 hectares of land is needed for the same. Hence 700 hectares
additional land has to be additionally planned intelligently for industry.

As far as location is considered, industries have been classified into four categories viz. general,
obnoxious, agro-based, household and services industries.

Basic Observation and Issues

Indore is even today a single centre city. The original core, based on a modified grid, abuts the
western side of the river. It continues to be the commercial and historical hub of the city. As the
central business district, the streets of the inner city contain a host of specialized markets, both
wholesale and retail.

Existing Development:
Natural barriers of steep land with hills have restricted the growth of Indore towards the west and
therefore the city has extended itself in the eastern direction, but these physical constraints are no
barriers for peri-urban development now. Industrial areas and informal sectors have developed in
the northern parts, while middle and high income districts are in the south. The three parallel
arteries of Subhash Road, M.G.Road and Jawahar Road have continued the east-west
development out of the inner city into the newer parts. M.G Road is the modern commercial
spine. The Agra-Mumbai (highway) is an important north-south artery.

Indore’s rulers took keen interest in modern urban planning at the beginning of the 20th century.
Special expertise was solicited for the improvement of the road network and drainage system as
early as 1913. During the 1920s, the Maharaja invited European experts to submit proposals for
Indore’s urban development plan. Among these was the structure plan prepared by Patrick
Geddes had proposed the three-center city, with two new centers at Manikbagh and Vijaynagar,
besides the original centre of Rajwada.

He had proposed the segregation of work areas while simultaneously maintaining a ‘work place’
to ‘folk place’ relationship. He also proposed a railway track circumscribing the city, as well as
tree-lined boulevards along with eastern and western banks of the river. Low-density residential
areas like Manoramaganj and Snehlataganj are said to have been developed according to his
proposal. By and large however, Geddes’ plan was not implemented. Indore was, at one time, an
important textile city, with the industry being an employer of many people. The textile industry
has disappeared and in its place, the business of pharmaceuticals and small-scale manufacturing
have come up. Dewas and Pithampur are important industrial satellites. Besides continuing as an
important regional trade base, Indore’s primary function is to provide the administrative and
residential infrastructure for the industrial activities in these satellite areas.

The frenzy of Indore’s new business climate is reflected in its more recent, ‘visible’ architecture.
Commercial development is rapidly being dominated by the corporate image, manifest in the
curtain wall and tinted glass. Interior design budgets are in multiples of the value of commercial
property. Interior designer exerts its influence on the building exterior. Thus, in place of an urban
scale and an urban façade, many streets of Indore look like the interiors of offices.

Amid the deafening roar of ‘look-at-me’ architecture, there are rarities also. The new
industriousness of Indore is well represented in recent projects by the young lot of designers.

Indore is a city in a hurry. It is a city of entrepreneurs and is built by a large amount of private
initiative. The concerned citizens of Indore are aware, concerned about the future of the city.

Still Indore is a city of happiness. City presents a happy blend of historical past and promises of
rapid future modernization.

Conclusion:
The analytical investigation of parametric evolution of “Transformation and Urbanization of
Indore” has been studied and one can arrive at the following conclusions:

• Indore is a fast growing city as far as commerce, industry and population is concerned.

• For life of any successful urban centre:

1. Heart line is water supply system.

2. Brain line is the knowledge of residents.

3. Life line is accessibility and approach to the city.

• Indore’s road network is very strong. It is the biggest cross-section centre of India related
to goods trading through road-ways.

• India’s first private radio channel (Radio-Mirchi) and first private land-line telephone
service (Airtel) came to Indore as people of Indore have highest paying capacity in India.

• Major problem in Indore is Water, which is unable to meet the demand.

• Floating population is high due to Indore being educational hub of Central India, the
same is maximum during summers when there’s load on resources as Indore doesn’t have
any river passing by which can serve it with water.

• Sustainable urban transformation plan for the city of Indore and its environs is required.

• If infrastructure is given proper attention without any judiciary interference then Indore
will be a successful Metropolitan of Tomorrow.

Reference:
1.Shiv Narayan Yadav “APNA INDORA” Published by Nai Duniya –
Indore.

2. “The Indore State Gazetteer". published by Govt. of India

3. “Indore Master Plan- 2021 Draft”

4. Tiwary, Santosh (1998 -04-01). "Pithampur small enterprises tell a tale of untapped
potential". Indian Express.
5. Major General Sir John Malcolm, Central India, Part I, pp. 68-70

Acknowledgement
The author wishes to express her gratitude to Dr.R.K. Pandit for his encouragement and support
throughout the course of this work.

Also wishes to thank Ar.Arshiya Qureshi for rendering help to collect data at various levels.