Achieving Compact City Form through Density Distribution: Case of Indian Cities

Higher average population density, which is a compact city ingredient, is one of the major characteristics of Indian cities. However, there will be an increase in urban built-up area in growing Indian cities, and gross densities may decline, resulting in sprawl. As an adverse impact, more land for urban use and more fuel for transport will be consumed. This study explored the possibility of handling urban densities to contain the expanding cities through compact city policies. It examined the recent changes in built-up areas and the pattern of population density in eight selected million-plus cities in India between 2000 and 2010. The spatial distribution of population within these cities was studied through density profile, density gradient, Hrel, average travel distance, and dispersion index. This paper concluded that built-up area densities in a majority of the million-plus cities studied are increasing and the cities are perceived as becoming compacted. The patterns of changes in density distribution indicate that, in half the cities, the increase in density is largely in peripheral areas, and hence the cities are perceived as dispersing. The paper examined the possibility of allowing densities to increase in Indian cities.