Students: Alícia Casals San Miguel, Karl Johan Nyqvist
Location: Group work in Kolkata
Date: November, 2008
Type: Research project, student work, A Plan for 15 Million People

Background
Kolkata is one of the largest and densest cities in the world. With its approximately 15 million inhabitants its population is twice the size of Switzerland. The city experienced two distinct and dramatic phases of growth, one occurring in the late 1940s and 50s after India’s independence, and the second phase during the 1970s at the height of the Indian - Pakistani conflict and the secession of Bangladesh (former East Pakistan) from Pakistan. The city owes much of its image as a place swept with refugees occupying every open piece of land and living in dense misery from those phases of intense growth. Today, the city is still a strong magnet for the population of the surrounding regions and states and has experienced high levels of rural-urban migration. The metropolitan area of Kolkata (KMA) is divided into three municipal corporations – Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Howrah and Chandannagore – consisting of 38 municipalities, 72 cities and over 500 towns and villages.

Themes
How does Kolkata compare to other cities of this magnitude? How does it compare to whole countries having a similar size of population? How does it compare to cities of different size? How does a metropolitan region of 15 million inhabitants govern itself? How does it coordinate strategic urban planning proposals and put them into practice? Kolkata is facing distinct moments of transformation and urban projects of fundamental importance: With a new town being planned and constructed in the east, a major renovation of its airport being planned, a major renewal and displacement of its harbour facilities, new subway lines being constructed and new bridges being designed, the cooperation of the various bodies within the metropolitan region is of utmost importance. Is there a masterplan, that structures and guides urban development? What is the current state of the (public) debate regarding urban growth? What are the factors in deciding the major directions of urban development? Why, for example, has Kolkata developed towards East and what position does Howrah take in this context.

Project
Document the different planning phases of the metropolitan area. What masterplans have been devised, implemented, or discontinued? Document how scale, size, comparisons, issues relate to the city as a whole and its greater metropolitan area. What futures are envisaged for the city? Compare Kolkata to other cities and metropolitan area.