India has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and one of the world’s largest democracies. The growing idea of sustainable urban transformation emphasises vast, multidimensional structural transition procedures capable of dramatic change. Cities are strategically important because they are linked to sustainable development and the green economy. UN-Habitat, the United Nations organisation in charge of sustainable human settlements, has dubbed the twenty-first century the “Urban Century.” This isn’t just because more people are moving to cities; metropolitan areas currently house more than half of the world’s population, and this trend will continue in the coming years.
The cities are increasingly becoming popular real estate destinations. The satellite towns began to emerge approximately a decade ago to meet the increasing demand for larger Indian cities. Satellite cities or satellite towns are smaller municipalities located near a major city that serves as the hub of a metropolitan area. They differ from mere suburbs, subdivisions, and particularly communities in that they have municipal administrations separate from the central metropolis and job bases large enough to support their residential populations. On the other hand, a satellite city suffers from cross-commuting, that is, people commuting out of and employees commuting into the city because it is part of a metropolis.
Rapid urbanisation: need-based solution
As the world’s population grows, something must be done to enhance the status of cities. Smart cities and satellite cities have been offered as solutions to the challenge of rising urbanisation. Satellite cities are independent of large metropolitan cities, each with its centre and services to accommodate the city’s rising population.
For example, consider Delhi, India’s capital and a major financial and industrial hub, where plenty of job opportunities have arisen, resulting in a population inflow and rapid urbanisation. The increase in urbanization led to immense problems because there was immense stress on the available resources in the cities, so the places around Delhi were slowly converted into the smaller versions of the city, and gradually, people started moving out of Delhi into these smaller emerging cities, i.e. the satellite cities. One of the first satellite cities around Delhi was Gurgaon. Thus, by developing satellite cities, the problem of overcrowding was not only addressed to some extent, but also the stress on resources in Delhi was reduced.
While talking about the areas surrounding Mumbai have also expanded quickly, with a number of them becoming important business, information technology, and residential hubs. Due to this growth, the city’s boundaries have reached the MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region), including Navi Mumbai, Thane, Ambarnath, Kalyan, and Palghar. These townships allow residents to live better lifestyles because they have more amenities and facilities. Navi Mumbai is thus one of India’s top satellite cities due to all these contributing elements.
Thus, by developing satellite cities, the problem of overpopulation was handled to some extent, and the strain on Delhi’s resources was reduced. Having several satellite towns does not solve the global problem, yet major challenges can be addressed by adopting a more sustainable way of life. Cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore are overcrowded due to disturbingly high rates of population growth; here, the satellite city can become a metro city or central business district.
Significance of Satellite Cities:
The rise of satellite cities is primarily responsible for the real estate boom in and surrounding such massive cities. They offer most of the amenities and services that major cities offer besides being nearby.
- The integrated township plan is used to construct satellite cities, giving people easy access to all the infrastructure and amenities in large cities.
- Additionally, a Satellite city offers its citizens employment prospects, infrastructure features, and commercial and residential spaces.
- Despite raising the standard of living for its residents by enhancing access to roads, power, water, drainage, and other necessary facilities, it also promotes the expansion of the local economy.
- The size and development of the satellite city are restricted to ensure that it stays within the parent city.
- India’s top 5 satellite cities are Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, New Town, West Bengal, Devanahalli, Karnataka, Gurugram, Delhi NCR, HITEC City, and Hyderabad.
Although it is a component of the bigger metropolitan areas, it is wholly unrelated to the city. The residential and commercial space is available in the satellite towns, thus providing the locals with a shopping mall, a school, and other amenities as well. Furthermore, satellite cities establish a scientific balance between the population and the resources they require, resulting in environmentally friendly and sustainable development.
Obtaining adequate land, securing money, working with neighbouring municipalities and regional authorities, and guaranteeing social and economic integration between the satellite city and the surrounding area are the main challenges in creating a satellite city. Despite these obstacles, satellite cities remain an important approach for fostering sustainable urban growth and have been successful in many countries worldwide. The popularity of the satellite towns is growing at the moment.
References:
Dd (2023) Satellite town planning concept ⋆ Archi-Monarch, Archi. Available at: https://archi-monarch.com/satellite-town-planning-concept/ (Accessed: April 23, 2023).
Satellite towns |population and Settlement Geography | human geography (2020) YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc9zb2RNBR0 (Accessed: April 23, 2023).
Satellite city – Wikipidea. (2016, March 1). Satellite City – Wikipidea. https://en.wikipidea.org/wiki/satellite_city In-Text Citation:(Satellite Cty – Wikipidea, 2016)
