Urban development pattern in Himachal Pradesh
Cities appear as a major role player in the economy of any area reflecting the global integration of its economy as they house majority of large business groups. Migratory population and urban growth are direct contributors in this economic expansion, particularly in the present-day phase of globalization which in under developed countries causes densification and instability of agriculture and other existing land use thus bringing in the need of a proper land resource management.
Focused attention is needed to integrate infrastructure development in various cities and linkages should be established between the creation and management of assets through a system of reforms for long-term sustainability. Himachal Pradesh is a hill state with some most difficult terrains of the country making the preparation of complete cadastral record of land nearly impossible only 80% of land is under revenue records. Thus the amount of habitable land decreases further with around 50 % of the land under forest cover.
Level of Urbanization
The history of urbanization shows that Himachal Pradesh has always been a least urbanized state of India. Level of urbanization at the national level was 19.91 percent (1971), 23.70 percent (1981), 25.72 percent (1991) and 27.78 percent (2001) during the period of 1971 to 2001. The figures for the state of Himachal Pradesh was merely 6.99 percent, 7.91 percent, 8.69 percent and 9.8 percent during the same period. Tehsil level pattern of urbanization in 1971 shows that out of total 53 tehsils only 24 were urbanized. Area of the Great Himalayas comprising entire districts of Kinnaur, Lahul-Spiti and Pangi tehsil of Chamba were devoid of any urban population. Only in Shimla (78.70 percent) the level of urbanization was above 40 percent. In the fifth category (30.01-40 percent) there was only Nahan tehsil. 14 tehsils had urban population below 10 percent of In 1901, urban population of Himachal Pradesh was 77332 persons which was merely 4.03 percent of the total population of the state. Period between 1901-11 marked a negative urban growth of -23.46 percent. It is evident that entire colonial period was characterized by very slow urban growth. The process of urbanization speeded up only after the independence; however the most prominent growth has been noticed between1941-51. It was largely due to the formation of Himachal Pradesh as a Chief Commissioner’s Province and resultantly administrative expansion which gave birth to small towns, mainly characterized by administrative functions.
According to 1971 census there were only 36 towns in Himachal Pradesh and there has increased in all subsequent census. Shimla has always been No. 1 town of Himachal Pradesh and maintained its primacy through the time. In 1971 total population of Shimla town was 55368 followed by Sundernagar, Mandi, Nahan, Chamba, Dharamshala, Solan, Kullu, Bilaspur and Una, Sundernagar registered a very high growth rate of 268.45 percent between 1961-71 and became second largest town of Himachal Pradesh This excessive growth rate was due to migration of large population from outside because of construction of Beas-Satluj Link Project.
completion of Beas Satluj link Project .Solan town also registered an impressive growth rate of 65.70 percent and reached to 4th position. A new town, Paonta Sahib (Sirmour district) entered in the list of top 10 towns. It registered a very high growth rate of 127.71, which was primarily due to industrialization. Hamirpur was also a new entry in this list. Una and Bilaspur lost their position during this time. According to 2001 census Solan with a stupendous growth rate of 57.39 percent reached in second position. This is mainly due to its moderate climate, accessibility and increased process of industrialization. Baddi one of the most industrialized pockets of Himachal Pradesh made its entry as sixth largest town of Himachal Pradesh.
The trends of urbanization in Himachal Pradesh show that the growth of urban population is very low in the state. It is the least urbanized state in India. Structural pattern shows the preponderance of small towns. There is only one class-I town in the state i.e. Shimla. Primacy of Shimla among the town of Himachal Pradesh can be clearly observed from the fact that the city constitutes approximately one fourth of the total urban population of the state. Presently out of total 53 tehsils 34 have urban population, but there is noticeable spatial variation in the level of urbanization. Four tehsils i.e. Shimla, Solan, Nahan and Sunder Nagar constitutes approximately 50 percent of the total urban population. Large number of tehsils comes under 0.01 to 10 percent urbanization level, which is very low. In 2001, 19 tehsils are devoid of any urban population, which includes entire districts of Kinnaur and Lahul Spiti. Number of towns was increased upto 1991; thereafter it is almost stagnant now. It has been found that emergence of towns in the state has largely been the result of administrative exigencies.
Himachal Pradesh: Urban Population as per Census 2011
688,552 people out of the total population of Himachal Pradesh live in urban area in which the number of males were 371,528 and females were 317,024. In Urban areas, the sex ratio was 853 females per 1000 males.
The total number of children between 0-6 years living in urban areas was 65,076. For urban areas in Himachal Pradesh, the average Literacy rate was 91.1 %. The male literacy rate was 93.42% and female literacy rate was 88.37%. In Himachal Pradesh, total literates in urban region were 568,000 as per Census 2011.
Districts of Himachal Pradesh with Highest Urban Population
Shimla 201,351
Solan 102,147
Kangra 86,281
Mandi 62,637
Sirmaur 57,165
Districts of Himachal Pradesh with Lowest Urban Population
Kinnaur 00
Lahul & Spiti 00
Bilaspur 25,129
Hamirpur 31,430
Chamba 38,108
As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Shimla in 2011 is 169,578; of which male and female are 93,152 and 76,426 respectively. Although Shimla city has population of 169,578; its urban / metropolitan population is 171,640 of which 94,586 are males and 77,054 are females.