Urbanization in context of

Nepal

By: Amit Pokharel Civil Engineer

Postgraduate student of Urban design and Conservation

Khwopa Engineering College Libali, Bhaktapur

Nepal

Urbanization defination

An increase in a population in cities and towns versus rural areas. Urbanization began during the industrial revolution, when workers moved towards manufacturing hubs in cities to obtain jobs in factories as agricultural jobs became few in common.

Urbanization is not merely a modern phenomenon, but a rapid and historic transformation of human social roots on a global scale, whereby predominantly rural culture is being replaced by urban culture.

Urbanization can describe a specific condition at a set time, i.e. the proportion of total population or area in cities or towns, or the term can describe the increase of this proportion over time.

Urbanization

• Urbanization in context of Nepal is defined as the: change in urban growth and cities form.

• The transformation of rural area (or hinterland or fringes) into urban form which links with transportation to grow into cities.

• Urban growth: economy and population density

A city scape of Kathmandu

Benefits of Urbanization

• Supply of basic amenities and facilities • Improvement in the economy • Better living conditions • Convenience and access to educational,

health, services and jobs • Social integration/diversity • Political concentration focussed in case

of Nepal

Urbanization in Nepal

• Nepal’s urban areas have the potential to drive economic growth to the benefit of the entire country. From the ancient hill towns in the west to the compact historic city cores of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal’s urban settlements are rich in cultural heritage and located amid unparalleled natural beauty.

• The intangible heritage that flourishes in the cities – art, music, dance and elaborate public celebrations and religious observances – add vitality and meaning to the built heritage and urban fabric. The conservation of this unique heritage, both tangible and intangible, can be a catalyst for urban revitalization by preserving city livability, and creating a wide range of income-earning opportunities.

As Nepal’s most important heritage destination and main gateway to the country, the Kathmandu Valley has the potential to become a world-class tourism destination. Cities, in particular those in the valley, are important centers for developing and promoting Nepal’s handicrafts, because they are the places where many artisans create and produce and the natural locations of wholesalers and retailers.

Image of Durbar marga, Kathmandu

Image of Biratnagar

Challenges of Urbanization

• Environmental impacts • Unemployment • Urban poverty (poor living condition) • Criminal activities • Original fabric of building will be lost due to physical

changes • Directly effect on conservation of nature as well as

heritage. • Urban congestion • Rise in market price of service utilities relating to daily

life activities

Traffic problems

Environment pollution

Traffci jam

Rise in concrete jungles in cities

Lack of pedestrian

Congestion

Institutionalizing Community Based Development

• Focussed on the improvement of living condition • Focussed on the unemployment and improving

economic factors • Developing community facilities and services • Improvement in roads and supply

Functional Zones

• A Central Business District (CBD) • Shopping areas: Department store and

Shopping Mall • A number of shopping centres • Industrial areas • Open space for recreation/and leisure • Fun parks and gardens

The Impact of Community-Based Programs

• Generate full and part-time employment for workers

• Cost for public utilites is poor

• Growth of apprenticeships and skill development program.

• Advance of health programs for children and community.

• Decreament in environmental situation

• Greenary area converted into concrete jungles

Latest Improvement in Nepal

• Problem solving process and education reform in the community

• Construction of apartments and individual homes by real state and builders

• Development of facilities for community health and human services

• Federal democratic process continuing in country from 2007

Improving Urban areas

• In many countries, government have attempted to improve its urban areas, but in context of Nepal, there is a lack of strong policy to plan and develop areas. Though Department of Urban Design and Building Construction (DUDBC), a department under Nepal’s government is trying to improve urban areas and working on it, but here are the two main ways to

deal with it. They are: 1. Inner city renewal and redevelopments 2. The planning of new towns preserving historic towns

and cities

Urbanization in the developing world

• Urbanization is happening rapidly in many parts of the

developing world.

• People are being ‘pushed’ from rural areas and ‘pulled’ toward the cities.

• Every year more and more people arrive to these growing cities in search of a better life for themselves and their children.

• Facilites and services for the community and people

Future cities in rapid Urbanization

• Rapid urbanization is taking place across the globe. Future Cities

will explore the components of a successful city, and will use these discoveries to drive critical planning across all relevant sectors, internationally.

• Future Cities will consider the pillars that create the foundation of a Future City:

-Security, -Water & Waste Management, -Tourism & Hospitality, -Efficient transport, -Energy Management, -Disaster Relief and Green Building.

• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

N8hf2v5YiII/US63MzdRtxI/AAAAAAAAAGY/OPd0VY7TD7Y/s1600/Urbanization_Animation_Large.gif

• (The above website url shows the World urbanization: % of urban population and agglomeration by size class)

• Reference taken to show data how rapid urbanization is taking place.

Greenary preserving in rapid urbanization

New designs preserving greenary structures

Development of 2nd International airport at Mattala

Victory Garden

A city image of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Monument conservation in rapid urbanization

• Traditional fabric and environment are being seriously effected by new buildings.

• Extreme development pressure • Lack of conservation oriented planning in this rapid

phase of urbanization • Inefficiency management of concerned authorities • Lack of public awareness • No proper implementation of laws/violation of laws

and bylaws

Legal and Institutional Framework

• The design of urban cities and their management should be viewed from a broader perspective within the framework of urban design and building construction, urban transport, landuse and housing density. However this is not apparent in the current legal and institutional framework.

• Numerous government institution responsible for urban development have overlapping jurisdiction and are working with little coordination and cooperation. However it is not clear who is responsible for planning, desigining and managing.

• The absence of a clear government policy on land development and infrastructure provision, urban design and building construction and physical planning & works as well as lack of trained manpower, have reduced the scope of urban planning and desigining of cities

Legal and Institutional Framework

• Lack of strong policy and guidelines to preserve the historical and traditional towns and cities of Nepal.

• In Nepal, the DUDBC (Department of urban design and building construction) is a acting body for urban planning but still no sign of desigining a new cities with planning as well as design concept. It only focus to plan for the government buildings.

• In developing countries, there is everything planned before

making structures but in Nepal haphazards planning. No proper planning in services and facilities including roads, sewage disposal and drain, watersupply, electricity, sewer lines, and other infrastructure development.

• No update in Cadastral map, lack of master plan

• Failure to understand what is urbanization actually?

• Lack of co-ordination and overlapping of function

• Legal and institutional framework is weak, in context of Nepal.

• Political interference disturbs mostly in planning and developing sector

References • http://www.unesco.org/most/used.html • The urbanization trends • Cities and life, Edward hill • Figures/graph and images from World Bank report (www.wb.org) • www.google.com/images of urban cities • Wikipedia • Mckansey global institute city scope 2.0 • Time Magazine • Managing Asian cities, published by www.adb.org • World Urbanization Prospects, the 2011 Revision, Website of the

United Nations Population Division • www.wikipedia.org • http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

N8hf2v5YiII/US63MzdRtxI/AAAAAAAAAGY/OPd0VY7TD7Y/s1600/Urbanization_Animation_Large.gif