Indian cities produce a large share of national output, yet flood every monsoon, run short of water every summer and house millions in slums. This chapter explains why urbanisation in India is fast, uneven and under-governed — and what can be done.

What UPSC asks. Mains GS I asks about the problems of urbanisation (slums, floods, migration, pollution), the social effects of urban life, and remedies such as smart cities and municipal reform. Prelims asks Census definitions (statutory town, census town), the 74th Amendment and urban missions.

Key sub-topics

Sub-topic	What to know
Trends and data	Census 2011 urban share, towns, million-plus cities, State variation
Definitions	Statutory towns, census towns, urban agglomerations
Nature of urbanisation	Over-urbanisation, pseudo-urbanisation, peri-urban growth
Problems	Housing and slums, water, waste, transport, floods, heat, governance
Constitutional framework	74th Amendment, Twelfth Schedule, planning committees
Remedies	Urban missions, municipal finance, planning, resilience

Start with the topic page, then revise and practise.