Development of a residential area in the new town Rajarhat, Kolkata

Abstract: The urbanisation in India has led to a growth of the larger cities, the number of cities with a population over 100 000 inhabitants is today 393 and among these cities 35 have a population over 1 million. Recent made calculations estimate that by the year 2021 the number of cities with a population over 100 000 will be 500 and cities with a population over 1 million will be 75. As the housing shortage today is 24,71 units it is clear that something needs to be done. The Kolkata region in West Bengal has started to develop a new town 10 km east of the Kolkata city core to cope with the housing shortage in the region. The new town Rajarhat will according to the planning program have 750 000 inhabitants when fully developed, three commercial centres and a new business district. I have chosen to analyse existing residential areas in the Kolkata region as well as in other parts of India to get better understand the urban planning in India. This analysis together with a landscape analysis of the project area and an analysis of the principals of both India´s town planning system as well as Rajarhat´s planning has lead to a plan proposal of the project area. My thesis conclude in a proposal on one residential area in the new town. In my plan proposal I have created a unique city, a walkable and well connected city, a social sustainable city and an environmental sustainable city for 5760 inhabitants.