Emerging Urban Land Use Characteristics of Jhansi City Janki Prasad 1 Abstract Jhansi city is characterised by multifarious uses of land under different urban functions such as commercial, residential, industrial, administrative, recreational, etc. It also characterised by mixed land use in various parts like administrative-cum-residential in civil line, commercial- cum-residential in walled city, etc. The land use zones are not yet developed in the city due to lack of proper implementation of master plans. The city is growing with the increase of population and the urban functions. Topographical features and socio-economic factors made centralised or decentralised urban functions in different parts of the city. Surface configuration, city wall, administrative, transportation and commercial functions played a vital role in the shaping of land use in Jhansi city. Rapid urbanisation and means of transportation caused urban sprawl especially along the radiating roads and established various social and economic institutions as well as residential buildings. The study is an attempt to describe the land use characteristics of entire urban landscape and identify its processes that shape the built environment in different forms. It will be helpful in preparation of development plan of the city. The study will be useful for the administrators and planners as well as applied geographers. © 2014 GSS Journals. All rights reserved. Keywords: City, Land Use Characteristics, Shaping Processes & Built Environment. Introduction Urban land provides base for the interactions between spatial configurations and functions. Urban land uses differ with development of the modern society in each other not only in their areal coverage terms of its built environment. The urban but also in their different morphological land use pattern is the result of the main structures. Its study becomes essential as a municipal functions that hold central part of analysis of different functions’ importance to planning, research and (Sharma and Mishra, 2011, p.11). ‘Land use action in urban geography. ‘Land use in a pattern of a city is a reflection of city has a unique structure because of its anthropogenic transformation of land and 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, I.G.N. Tribal University, Amarkantak-484887, District- Anuppur (MP). Email:[email protected] (Corresponding Author) 1 Emerging Urban Land Use… dynamicity of the city which is conditioned, The present map of urban land used is controlled and shaped by various phases of prepared on the basis of Google image histogenetic evolution and are guided by updated in 2012. The primary work played a location, topography and accessibility’ very important role in the identification of (Singh, 2010, p.75). uses of land under various urban functions. The topographical maps (54 K/10, 54K/11), Study Area municipal boundary map and land use map The city is located between 250 21' 19.9" N to (2000) are used as base maps for 250 31' 54.12" N latitude and 780 30' 9.47" E georeferencing and the demarcation of to 780 39' 20.33" E longitude. The town of various forms of land uses which are Jhansi lie on an undulating plateau platform collected from Survey of India, Jhansi Nagar surface configuration. The area comes under Nigam and Town and country planning the gneissic region of Bundelkhand upland. department (UP), respectively. The latest GIS The average elevation of the city is 284m technology is used for georeferencing, above mean sea level and its general slope digitization, and calculation of area of tends towards north and eastward. It various land uses and the Arc GIS 10.1, an receives an average amount of 87.5cm improved version of software is used in these annual rainfall and falls under semi-arid type processes. Other relevant information and of climatic conditions. In summer season, city data are taken from books, journals, thesis, experiences temperatures up to 47ºC while it survey reports and Census of India, 2011. falls as low as 40 C in winter season. The rocky surface of the city contributes to Emerging Urban Land Use Characteristics extreme temperature conditions in different Jhansi is a historical city that has connection seasons. to the Bundela rulers of Orchha state and The city has population of 5, 47,638 in which later on it comes under the Maratha rules. 2, 89,698 are males and 2, 57,940 females. The construction of Jhansi fort, city wall and Thus, the sex ratio of the city comes to 890. the water body Lakshmi Tal are indigenous The literacy rate of the city is 83.65% while while establishment of cantonment, civil male literacy goes to 89.25% and female’s station, railway area and many institutions literacy slightly low, 77.2% (Census, 2011). such as superintendency, court and jail are The city occupies an area of 169.5 Sq. the legacy of British. All these constructions kilometres. The city is divided into 60 are given shape of urban morphology and municipal wards to sustain the facilities and land use. The present form and functions services. have historical root of development of the city and the modern one. After Objectives independence, various initiatives taken by the objective is to describe and explain the governments and the present politico- various characteristics of urban land uses of economic system, developmental activities Jhansi city and to interpret the factors and and market driven forces are given the processes undergoing in the shaping urban present shape of its morphology, land use land uses. and urban sprawl. The uses of land of the city Data Base and Research Methodology reflect that 41.52% of land is developed, i.e., The study is based on both primary and 7,036.95 ha. The highest proportion of land is secondary sources of data and information. occupied by the residential area that is 2 Janki Prasad 14.69% to the total area and 35.40% to the land lies under the public and semi-public developed land. It is followed by Army cant use which has also a good proportion of land which is 12.85% to the total area and 30.95% that is 6.52% to the total area and 15.70% to to the developed land. The 1,104.48 ha of the developed land. Table 1: Urban Land Use of Jhansi City, 2013. Municipal Corporation Sl. Land Use % to Developed % to the Total Land No. Area in ha land 1. Commercial 121.61 1.73 0.72 2. Residential 2,490.95 35.40 14.69 3. Industrial 373.42 5.31 2.20 4. Governmental 254.91 3.62 1.50 5. Army Cantonment 2,178.35 30.95 12.85 6. Recreational 77.05 1.09 0.45 7. Public and Semi-Public 1,104.48 15.70 6.52 8. Transportation 436.18 6.20 2.57 Developed Land 7,036.95 100.00 41.52 9. Water Body 48.32 - 0.29 10. Hills 159.56 - 0.94 11. Open Space and 57.26 9,705.17 - Cultivated land Undeveloped Land 9,913.05 - 58.48 Total Area 16,950.00 - 100.00 Source: Google Image updated 2012 and field check, 2013 The transportation occupies 436.18 ha which Commercial contributes 2.57% to the total area while Commercial land use of any city is known as 6.20% to the developed land. Industries the backbone of the economy which plays a occupied 373.42 ha that is 2.20% and 5.31% vital role in its development. Commercial to the total and developed area, respectively land use determines consumers’ behaviour that lie in outskirts of the city, especially in and commercial activities and is linked with the south and northwest. Governmental land other uses of land either directly or covers an area of 254.91ha which is 1.5% of indirectly. ‘The commercial activities are well the total area and 3.62% of the developed defined business areas and specialised land and serves as headquarters of district markets which contribute towards the and divisional administration. Some of the growth of the city. The significance of offices assume regional and national commercial areas of cities is far greater than importance. The commercial function their limited extent’ (Singh, 2011, p.113). occupies 121.61 ha which contributed 0.72% The commercial land use of Jhansi city to the total and 1.73% to the developed area. includes both retail and wholesale and The recreational (parks and playgrounds) warehouses/ godawns while the buildings land comes under marginal area that and space of other commercial importance covered only 77.05 ha that is 0.45% to the such as banks, hotels, showrooms, cold total area and 1.09% to the developed area. storages, gas service and petrol filling 3 Emerging Urban Land Use… stations, etc. are also incorporated in this and Subhash ganj (former wholesale) while land use. The 121.61 ha land is occupied by two other retail markets are SCA and this function. The land under commercial use developed outside the city wall such as Sipiri reflects that commercial activities play an bazaar in Sipiri and Sadar bazaar in important role in the economy of the city as Cantonment area. Today the bazars are well as district and the surrounding region turning gradually into the modern concept with the providing variety of goods and of ‘market’ a pure economic concept of services. The neighbourhood shopping commodity exchange. Bazars are shedding centres have included in the in this land use away their sociological implications (Mishra which cropped up in the residential and and Sharma, 2009, p.7). The earlier bazaars nearby crossings. The present commercial played its role as social also. ‘Urban functions are characterised by globalisation geographers have a particular interest in the and liberalisation and with the arrival of spatial and hierarchical organisation of private commercial institutions in the city.