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About Chandigarh
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Le Corbusier conceived the master plan of Chandigarh as analogous to human body,
with a clearly defined head (the Capitol Complex, Sector 1), heart (the City Centre
Sector-17), lungs ( the leisure valley, innumerable open spaces and sector greens),
the intellect (the cultural and educational institutions), the circulatory system
(the network of roads, the 7Vs) and the viscera (the Industrial Area).
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The concept of the city is based on four major functions: living, working, care
of the body and spirit and circulation. Residential sectors constitute the living
part whereas the Capitol Complex, City Centre, Educational Zone (Post Graduate Institute,
Punjab Engineering College, Panjab University) and the Industrial Area constitute
the working part. The Leisure Valley, Gardens, Sector Greens and Open Courtyards
etc. are for the care of body and spirit. The circulation system comprises of 7
different types of roads known as 7Vs. Later on, a pathway for cyclists called V8
were added to this circulation system.
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The Capital complex comprises three architectural masterpieces: the "Secretariat",
the "High Court" and the "Legislative Assembly", separated by large piazzas. In
the heart of the Capital Complex stands the giant metallic sculpture of The Open
Hand, the official emblem of Chandigarh, signifying the city's credo of "open to
given, open to receive".
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The city centre (Sector 17) is the heart of Chandigarh's activities. It comprises
the Inter-State Bus Terminus, Parade Ground, District Courts, etc. on one hand,
and vast business and shopping center on the other. The 4-storey concrete buildings
house banks and offices above and showrooms/shops at the ground level with wide
pedestrian concourses. The Neelam piazza in the center has fountains with light
and water features. Proposal to set up an eleven storey building in Sector 17 is
in the offing. Sector 34 is another newly developed commercial sector.
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Ample areas have been provided in the master plan of the Capital for parks. Out
of a total area of 20,000 acres acquired for the first phase, about 2000 acres are
meant for development of parks. Leisure Valley, Rajendra park, Bougainvillea Park,
Zakir Rose Garden, Shanti Kunj, Hibiscus Garden, Garden of Fragrance, Botanical
Garden, Smriti Upavan,
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Topiary garden and Terraced Garden are some of the famous parks of Chandigarh. Sukhna
Lake, Rock Garden, Government Museum and Art Gallery are major tourist attractions
of Chandigarh. One unique feature in the layout of Chandigarh is its roads, classified
in accordance with their functions. An integrated system of seven roads was designed
to ensure efficient traffic circulation. Corbusier referred to these as the 7'Vs.
the city's vertical roads run northeast/southwest (the 'Paths'). The horizontal
roads run northwest/southwest ('The Margs'). The intersect at right angles, forming
a grid or network for movement.
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This arrangement of road-use leads to a remarkable hierarchy of movement, which
also ensures that the residential areas are segregated from the noise and pollution
of traffic.
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Each 'Sector' or the neighboured unit, is quite similar to the traditional Indian
'mohalla', Typically, each sectors measures 800 metres by 1200 metres, covering
250 acres of area.Each Sector is surrounded by V-2 or V-3 roads, with no buildings
opening on to them.
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Access from the surrounding roads is available only at 4 controlled points, which
roughly mark the middle of each side. Typically a sector is divided in four parts
by a V-4 road running from east to west and a V-5 road running from north to south.
These four parts are easily identifiable as A, B, C and D corresponding to North,
East, South and West sides. Each Sector is meant to be self-sufficient, with shopping
and community facilities within reasonable walking distance.Though educational,
cultural and medical facilities are spread all over city, however, major institutions
are located in Sectors 10, 11, 12, 14 and 26.
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The industrial area comprises 2.35 sq kms, set-aside in the Master Plan for non-polluting,
light industry on the extreme southeastern side of the city near the railway line,
as far away from the Educational Sectors and Capitol Complex as possible.
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Tree plantation and landscaping has been an integral part of the city's Master Plan.
Twenty six different types of flowering and 22 species of evergreen trees (Sing
et. Al., 1998) have been planted along the roads, in parking areas, shopping complexes,
residential areas and in the city parks, to ameliorate the harsh climate of the
region, especially the hot and scorching summers.
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Population Growth
in the City |
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Chandigarh was planned for a population of half-a-million. In Phase I, 36 sq km
of land was acquired by the city administration for construction of 30 sectors.
Land for seventeen additional sectors (Sector 31 to 47) was acquired and developed
during the second phase to cater for a population of 350,000. The predominance of
3/4 storey apartments in the second phase provide for higher population dimension.
However, Chandigarh has now grown beyond its planned capacity. Hence, development
in the third phase has started in sectors 48 and beyond. Demographic data indicate
that between 1961 and 1971, the population increased by 144.59 percent, one of the
highest for urban areas in India. According to 1981 census, it grew by another 75.55
percent, followed by 42.16 percent in 1991 and by 40.33 per cent in 2001 (with a
total population of 9,00,635). By 2021 the population of Chandigarh is projected
to be around 19.5 lacs (at current rate of growth) almost four times for which it
was originally built.
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