ABSTRACT
Since they gained Independence, all of the South Asian countries have seen a transformation of urban life. This transformation has been most visible in the growth of their cities. In 1951 India, for example, had an urban population of just over 62 million, 17 per cent of its total population. The largest city in South Asia, then Calcutta (now Kolkata), had a population of 4.6 million. By 2011, Mumbai had grown to become India’s largest city, with a population of its metropolitan agglomeration standing at 18.4 million. Delhi had reached over 16 million, Kolkata 14 million and Chennai and Bengaluru both over 8 million (Census of India 2013). India has not been alone in experiencing the rapid growth of mega-cities. In Pakistan, Karachi has become South Asia’s – and by some reckonings, the world’s − largest city, with over 21 million people in its metropolitan area. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has also witnessed explosive growth to reach its current estimated population of 15 million.
