Consequences of Unplanned Growth: A Case Study of Metropolitan Hyderabad

Abstract

This study focuses on the growth of metropolitan Hyderabad from 1971 to the present time. It identifies the factors which caused its massive growth and created multifaceted, complicated, and chaotic problems which are now defying solution. Hyderabad, since its foundation, has retained its status as the capital city despite the change in its territorial boundaries. While it was the capital of Andhra Pradesh, it saw a huge influx of migrants from Coastal Andhra, leading to a change in its demography, growth pattern, and morphology. In the later part of the last century, Hyderabad expanded as its service and quaternary sector expanded. As the city expands to surrounding regions and the population rapidly increases, the challenges of managing Hyderabad have grown manifold in last few years. Basic infrastructural supports such as housing, water supply, power distribution, transport facilities, waste and sewage treatment for the city are still limited within the municipal boundary. Infrastructure related to social development, such as education, health care support, housing facilities for the poor, sports, and other recreation facilities are not up to the standard and need larger investment and planning efforts. This unplanned growth and uncontrolled economic activities and residential colonies have created manifold planning and development problems. It is a daunting task to find solutions to the problems which plague this city.