A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1973

This research is aimed at the analysis of urbanization strategies for the Eastern Region of India. This Region has been formed from the four States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, and West Bengal. Special emphasis has been placed on the Chotanagpur 'crescent' industrial area and the Eastern coastal agricultural area. The economic characteristics of the Region and the past, present, and future demographic trends have been examined. A qualitative investigation of three major urban growth options for the Region has been carried out. The three options that have been considered are the creation of new towns, expansion of small and medium sized existing towns, and further growth of metropolis Calcutta. In an attempt to find a specific criteria for allocating the urban increment in the Region by the year 2000, costs of providing urban infrastructure under each alternative have been considered. The shortcomings of the previously planned new towns in India have been discussed and the design of the infrastructure of a hypothetical new town has been undertaken to remove some of these shortcomings. Finally, a strategy of urbanization is formulated, with more than half of the projected urban increase being accounted for by growth of existing towns and the rest by the other two alternatives. The research also proposes that the 'crescent' and coastal areas have potential for formation of megalopolitan-type settlements.