The growth of million plus cities in India: Pattern, trend, characteristics and sustainability

Though only 31.2 percent of the total population in India live in urban areas, in absolute terms, it is one of the highest in the world, only next to China. According to 2011 census, the size of urban population is 377 million, more than the total population of any country in the world except China. It is spread in 7935 towns and cities across the country. Out of the total 7935 towns, 468 towns/UAs belong to class I category(100,000 or more population) of which 53 UAs/towns each has a population of one million or above known as Million Plus Cities. The 2001 census reported 35 such cities and 18 more have been added during the last ten years. These 53 UAs/towns are the major urban centres of the country where 161 million population live constituting 43% of the total urban population . Many studies have projected that the number of such million plus cities is going to increase rapidly within the next couple of years which will be the focus of growth and development. Hence, the present study makes an attempt in analyzing the growth pattern, trend, characteristics, quality of life as well as future sustainability of those metropolitan cities.