7. Smart Chandigarh Tri-City Region: Spatial Strategies of Transformation

The inception of the “City Beautiful” dates back in the early 1950s, right after India attained independence. The planned visionary modernist settlement designed by famous architect Le Corbusier started gaining a ‘magnet’ status. The regional phenomenon observed around Chandigarh gave way to the establishment of counter magnets Panchkula and Mohali, together referred to as “Tri-city”. Soon, the green buffer zones around the city got into urbanisation processes and started showing signs of uncoordinated growth. The demographic profile suggested a slowing pace of growth in Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) while other settlements in the Chandigarh region (the 16 km periphery Control Area) kept expanding. A need for regional development was felt in 1970s resulting in various regional plans severely lacking legal status and hence had no prominent effect. A region can attain a planned development through careful understanding in incorporating sub-regional objectives through Smart Information, Smart Decision-making, Smart Connections and ultimately leading to Smart Development. Smart tools and techniques offered by the geospatial technology can play a pivotal role in analysing the existing scenarios of an urban purlieu and aid significantly in the decision making process for better development. The study asseses the spatial growth of Chandigarh region using Neural Network based modelling growth scenarios and suggests that nearly 400 sq. km. of area will be urbanised by 2048. The study effectively demonstrates the importance of geospatial techniques and recommends spatial strategies in order to have a holistic development in the region. Smart strategies incorporating inclusive planning can for transform settlements into Smart Metropolitan Regions.