An urban agglomeration is a continuous urban spread constituting a town and its adjoining outgrowths

(OGs), or two or more physically contiguous towns together with or without outgrowths of such towns.
An Urban Agglomeration must consist of at least a statutory town and its total population (i.e. all the
constituents put together) should not be less than 20,000 as per the 2001 Census. In varying local
conditions, there were similar other combinations which have been treated as urban agglomerations
satisfying the basic condition of contiguity.

Delhi NCR largest urban agglomeration

As per the preliminary results of the Census 2011, released by the Registrar General of India, Greater
Mumbai with a population of 18,414,288 continues to be Indias biggest city, followed by Delhi
16,314,838 and Kolkata14,112,536. These three cities are Indias mega-cities with 10 million plus
population. However, Delhi NCR is the largest urban agglomeration. It now includes parts of the states
of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad.

Constituent unit Populatio

n
Delhi Urban Agglomeration 16,236,397
National Capital Territory of 12,905,780
Delhi
Uttar Pradesh 1,636,159
Ghaziabad (M Corp) 968,256
Dasna (NP) 24,434
Noida (CT) 305,058
Loni (NP) 120,945
Dharoti Khurd (CT) 34,044
Behta Hajipur (CT) 94,298
Khekada (NP) 40,335
Aggarwal Mandi (NP) 12,405
Baghpat (MB) 36,384
Haryana 1,694,458
Kundli (DMA town) 8,935
Sonipat (UA) 225,074
(i) Sonipat (M Cl) 214,974
(ii) Kabirpur (OG) 3,986
(iii) Bandepur (OG) 988
(iv) Shadipur (OG) 2,740
(v) Lahrara (OG) 2,386
Kharkauda (MC) 18,763

Ladrawan (CT) 8,008

Bahadurgarh (UA) 131,925
(a) Bahadurgarh (M Cl + OGs) 126,746
(i) Bahadurgarh (M Cl) 119,846
(ii) Parnala (OG) 2,987
(iii) Bahadurgarh (Rural) (OG) 1,238
(iv) Hasanpur (OG) 2,675
(b) Sankhol (CT) 5,179
Gurgaon (UA) 228,820
(a) Gurgaon (M Cl + OGs) 201,332
(i) Gurgaon (M Cl) 172,955
(ii) Silokhra (OG) 6,709
(iii) Jharsa (OG) 21,658
(b) Gurgaon (Rural) (CT) 17,110
(c) Sukhrali (CT) 10,388
Darudahera (CT) 10,626
Faridabad (M Corp) 1,055,938
Tilpat (CT) 6,369

Note:
UA = Urban Agglomeration
M Corp = Municipal Corporation
M B = Municipal Board
MC = Municipal Committee
M Cl = Municipal Council
NP = Nagar Palika
CT = Census Town
DMA town = Delhi Metropolitan Area Town
OG = Outgrowth
Land use
The pattern of land use in Delhi was influenced considerably by the implementation (albeit partial) of
the Delhi Development Authoritys 20-year (196281) master plan. Broadly, public and semi-public land
use was concentrated in the Central Secretariat area of New Delhi and in the Old Secretariat area in the
Civil Lines, with subsidiary centres developing in the Indraprastha Estate (an office complex) in the east
and in Ramakrishnapuram (an office-cum-residence complex) in the south. A large number of small
manufacturing establishments have entrenched themselves in almost every part of Old Delhi, but the
main industrial areas have gravitated toward Najafgarh Road in the west and the large planned Okhla
Industrial Estate in the south. Land for commercial use is found mainly in the Chandni Chowk and Khari
Baoli areas, both in the north; in the Sadar Bazar of Old Delhi; in the Ajmal Khan Road area of Karol Bagh
in western Delhi; around Connaught Place in New Delhi; and in the areas of Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini
Nagar in the south. A number of district and local shopping centres have developed in other localities.

Problems faced and policies adopted to counter them

Inspired by this pioneering spirit and imbibed with a missionary zeal to accomplish its manifold tasks and
fulfil its overall objectives by the turn of the new century, the NCR Planning Board brought into force a
development plan for the entire region in January 1989. This plan, the Regional Plan-2001, is a blueprint
of various policy imperatives and action programs which were needed to deflect population from Delhi
to identified Regional Centers or `Priority Towns' in NCR by the year 2001.
The NCR Plans (Interim Development Plan - 1986, Regional Plan-1989) and the related plans (Sub-
regional Plans; Uttar Pradesh - 1992, Rajasthan-1994 and Functional Plans for Transport (1995), Power
(1996), Telecommunication (1997), and Industry (1998) were exercises which were considered most
expedient to achieve this common objective through a set of policy initiatives, the route of planning for
land uses and development of core regional infrastructure.
In spite of all these planning exercises, the situation obtaining in Delhi is that population has continued
to grow at pace faster than anticipated and there has been no let-up in the tendency of population to
concentrate in Delhi; moreover, this phenomenon is likely to continue in future. The national capital
city, which has already reached a population size of 137 lakhs, is expected to reach a population level of
over 220 lakhs by the year 2021. In-migration has played a major role in the growth of population of
Delhi. The flow of migrants for the decades 1971-81 and 1981-91 numbered 12.30 lakhs and 15.87 lakhs
respectively. Out of a total area of 1483 sq. km. of NCT Delhi, nearly 50% has already been urbanized
and by year 2021 there would be hardly any open rural space left in the NCT. Ecologically, spatially and
socio-economically it is extremely doubtful whether NCT would be able to sustain on its own such a
massive urban explosion.
Delhis problems of accommodating and managing anticipated future growth primarily arise from the
restrictions imposed by the political boundaries of NCT. The Delhi Metropolitan Area (DMA), although it
forms an integral part (both physically and functionally) of Delhi urban agglomeration, straddles the
adjacent States, each with their differing perceptions and priorities, which may not be necessarily in
consonance with Delhi's development policies and strategies. Under the circumstances, a unified
integrated strategy plan for DMA including Delhi appears to be both a necessity and a challenge. Along
with this, modalities of a joint planning and implementation mechanism would also need to be explored
between urban development authorities in Delhi and the DMA towns in order to ensure coordination.
The NCR Planning Board is in the process of preparation of new strategy for the Regional Plan for the
perspective year 2021. The Plan represents an attempt to outline future options in tackling the problems
of this imbalance in the pattern of growth of Delhi and its surrounding Region in the light of new
economic realities created by globalization and liberalization.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Capital_Region_(India)

https://www.britannica.com/place/Delhi

http://www.newgeography.com/content/002545-the-evolving-urban-form-delhi

http://arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Urban_Agglomeration

http://rgplan.org/regional-plan-of-up/Regional_Plan_of_NCR_2021.pdf