Abstract:
With the rapid growth of urban population there has been continuos accretion in number and size of urban centers both demographically and spatially. Provision of Urban Infrastructure has however, not kept pace with increasing size of towns and cities. As a result, burgeoning urban areas are putting strain on the already secant Infrastructure leading to a point of collapse. Large urban centers, although considered to be generator of economic momentum, display a picture of squalor and unhygienic conditions. Traditionally in India, urban local bodies and parastatal agencies have generally been providing urban Infrastructure as part of social and welfare services. By now, the concept and techniques for providing, delivery operations and maintenance of urban Infrastructure have changed considerably. It is increasingly being felt that government alone with limited budgetary resources would not be in position to make up with the galloping backlog in urban infrastructure services which are also required to be improved, augmented and upgraded to meet the emerging needs of urban areas.
With liberalization of economic polices, globalization of market economics, technological advancement, decentralization of planning and development functions, revitalization of municipal agencies, role of private sector participation in development process would be of vital importance.
Thus, at a glance, one can easily realize the need of ever increasing efforts in the direction of improving the physical infrastructure in India especially in the small cities like
Haridwar, where a large No. of floating population causes tremendous pressure on all services. This study is a step in the direction of understanding the problems regarding the conditions of Physical Infrastructure in Haridwar City.
