17. Analyzing Spatial Inequalities of Amenities in Jammu City Using Geo-Informatics

Since the partition of India and Pakistan, the City of Jammu has emerged as a most favorable and suitable destination to settle down, for the people who came from the other side of the border during 1947 and 1965 war between India and Pakistan and also for the people from inside the country thereafter. During this period the city of Jammu has shown unprecedented growth of population from 157,708 pers. in 1971 to 576,195 pers. in 2011. Keeping in view the flow of migrants and the widespread growth of population in Jammu City, current research is an attempt to analyze the availability and disparities in the spatial distribution of basic amenities using simple geospatial technique among the different wards of Jammu City. The outcome of the research shows that basic amenities among the different wards of Jammu City are not uniformly distributed. With a composite score of more than 43.47, about 26% of the total wards show high levels of overall development. There are only seven wards falling in the medium line. On the contrary, a highly drastic picture has been observed, as more than 63% of the total wards (i.e., 45 wards) show low to very low levels of overall development. Broadly speaking, old city wards are found to have adequate urban amenities when compared to peripheral wards. The findings of the current research are extremely useful to decision-makers for the comprehensive formulation of urban policy.