4.2.2 Spatial growth at the mouza level

witnessed predominantly in the last two phases shown above. However, on the larger aspect, only New Town has shown massive transformations spatially.

Figure 4.5 : The study region (highlighted in yellow) with surroundings in 2017

Source: Google Earth

4.2.2 Spatial growth at the mouza level

At the study region, at the mouza level, the assessment for spatial growth has been done specifically for the most populated mouzas – Nayapatti, Mahishbathan and Polenite, all of which co-incidentally fall in ward 28. There are specifically two reasons for spatially demonstrating these mouzas. These reasons can be explained as follows:

- Firstly, all these three mouzas have experienced the highest population growth from 2001 to 2011 (280% decadal growth and 14.3% annual growth, as statistically shown in demographic analysis earlier).

- Additionally, all of these mouzas have undergone enormous physical transformation during the given time frame, specifically highlighting the years 2005, 2011 and 2017 respectively.

Figure 4.6 : The 3 mouzas for which spatial growth is shown at the mouza level, from left, Nayapatti, Mahishbathan and Polenite

Source: Google Maps, Representation primary

4.2.2.1 Polenite

Among the 3 mouzas highlighted above, the reason for showing the spatial growth of Polenite, is because it has undergone the most transformation among the mouzas. Polenite was one of the only mouzas, which had predominance of rural characteristics within its administrative boundary.

Figure 4.7 : Polenite mouza during 2005 – typical rural characteristics in peri-urban setting

Source: Google Earth

2005: Polenite in 2005, was a vacant land under the Bidhannagar Municipality, having green cover in abundance. As it is located so close to the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), Polenite became a residing place for people who were involved in fishing based

activities like making fishing nets, catching fish or even actvities like pisiculture. Among all the mouzas in the entire study region, it can be clearly observed visually in 2005 tha Polenite had absolute village characteristics with Kutcha Road and high percentage of greencover and vacant land. This can be attributed to the fact that its proximity to the wetlands, drove the occupational characteristics solely towards agricultural activities like farming and fishing.

Figure 4.8 : Polenite mouza during 2011 – decrease in rural characteristics, new urbanisation patterns

Source: Google Earth

2011: The phase from 2005 to 2011 saw a lot of developments occurring in Polenite, most notably, the initiation of new projects in the southern regions. The plots were marked for the forthcoming developments. However, there was no attempts to improve the kutcha road located on the western edge. Along the Keshtopur canal, there was an increase in the number of settlements. Even though the number of settlements did not multiply as rapidly as Mahishbathan, there was a considerable increase in the number of settlements. However, a chunk of the central region in Polenite mouza, still remained largely vacant without any traces in development.

2017: Post 2011 to present day in 2017, Polenite experienced major developments. Firstly, the road which was a kutcha village road made way for paved tar roads. This was predominantly done to cater to the new highrises coming up in Polenite. In the

southern region of Polenite, major high-rises and high end projects like Ideal Aqua Heights and Panache, which are G+22 storeys high have sprang up. In terms of settlements, in the northern parts, there has been an increase in the number of settlements along the canal front and also in the mid regions.

Figure 4.9 : Polenite mouza during 2017 – rapid urbanisation throughout the mouza

Source: Google Earth

Polenite, in true sense, is region which showcases enormous diversity. This can be attributed solely to the diversity in building typologies throughout the mouza. Along the Keshtopur canal, there is predominance of kutcha and semi-pakka housing, with tin or tiled roof and brick / cemented walls, as pictorially represented below. Moreover, the condition of the people living on the canal front is extremely vulnerable, as the land belongs to the irrigation department (canal land) and these people have encroached this land without any official documents. In the central regions of the Polenite mouza, the land is more privatised compared to the canal front, with people owning the land or inheriting the land from their forefathers. There is a predominance of pakka housing (which is generally 2 to 3 storeys high. Additionally, there are few traces of semi pakka also in the central regions. However, the southern region is extremely diverse from the remainder of the mouza and remainder of the study region, as it has highrises like Ideal

Heights and Panache which are G+20 storeys. These highrises are characteristic of the new developments taking place in the nearby planned township of New Town and Sector V, where high rises are becoming very common presently. The intermingling of rural and urban characteristics within the study region, in kutcha un-serviced housing to infrastructural developments in new age high-rises explains this massive diversity.

Figure 4.10 : Massive diversity among the built form patterns in Polenite – Kachha housing along the canal-front (top L), Pakka G+2 housing (top R) in the interiors and Panache highrise (above).

Source: Primary

4.2.2.2 Mahishbathan

2005: During 2005, there had been extreme amounts of vacant green land within its boundary area. In addition, the canal land adjacent to the canal-front was largely vacant. There were an insignificant number of settlements located at the canal-front during this time. In the remainder of Mahishbathan area, there were settlements in certain patches only.

Figure 4.11 : Mahishbathan mouza during 2005 – vacant land along the canal-front, high percentage of green cover

Source: Google Earth

Figure 4.12 : Mahishbathan mouza during 2011 – increase in settlements along the canal-front, vacant land along converted to settlements throughout the rest of the mouza

Source: Google Earth

2011: In 2011, meanwhile, a large portion of this green cover got converted into settlements. Also, the land along the canal-front, which was earlier vacant land completely got transformed. From the period 2005 to 2011, this region got converted into a densified region comprising predominantly of Kutcha and Semi Pakka housing typology. Along the interior regions, there was more number of pakka houses that came up, and thus the vacant lands got converted into built up areas.

2017: During the final phase from 2011 to 2017, there was a further increase in the number of settlements along the interior regions and also along the canal front. This extreme densification in Mahishbathan can be related to the demographic trends shown earlier, where it was seen that Mahishbathan witnessed the maximum population growth and had the highest population density in the study region. The land along the canal front belongs to the Irrigation department, but after 2006/07, after both NDITA and New Town, were both in their developing stages, people started to flock along the canal front, encroaching informally, without any official documents.

Figure 4.13 : Mahishbathan mouza during 2017 – tremendous increase in settlements throughout Mahishbathan mouza

Source: Google Earth

Figure 4.14 : Kutcha and Semi-Pakka housing along the canal-front and Pakka housing (G+2/3 along the interiors on private serviced land)

Source: Primary

Geographically representing the Mahishbathan Mouza, above, it can be explained clearly by sub-dividing its area into 3 zones (shown through black dotted lines), which explains the different typologies through time (2005-2011-2017). In the zone adjacent to the canal-front, which is on a land that is owned by the irrigation department (canal land), there has been enormous rise in the settlements, which has been briefly stated previously. Also, the built up area has excessively increased leading to a decrease in the green cover in Mahishbathan. New structures have come up throughout the administrative area of Mahishbathan mouza. In the mid region, there are sporadic and patchy settlements, which were earlier vacant green cover.

4.2.2.3 Nayapatti

Figure 4.15 : Nayapatti mouza during 2005 – vacant green spaces and patchy settlements and upcoming transport links

Source: Google Earth

2005: Nayapatti has more similarity in characteristics to Mahishbathan mouza than the Polenite mouza. Similar to the other mouzas in ward 28, even for Nayapatti, the land along the Keshtopur canal front, is under the irrigation department. This land was totally vacant green spaces in 2005, having completely no traces of settlements. Along the north-western edge of Nayapatti, the land was also vacant in 2005. The overall area of Nayapatti can be sub divided into 3 different zones, represented here in black dotted lines. The zone closest to the canal-front, had a predominance of kutchaand semi-pakka housing typology in 2005. In the central zone, the housing typology was predominantly pakka and semi-pakka, being present in patches only. In the third part, there was a clear mix between sporadically located pakka housing on the west and vacant green space on the east. In the western part, the region was predominantly vacant land in 2005, having traces of pakka housing. In the eastern part, the construction for the New Town flyover was just initiated, as shown in the map above. This was the only link between Salt Lake to New Town passing through Sector V and the borders of Nayapatti.

Nayapatti mouza during 2011 – rapid densification, up-gradations and operational transport links

Source: Google Earth

2011: The phase from 2005 to 2011 saw a lot of developments in Nayapatti, with most of the regions within the mouza, showing increase in the number of settlements. Along the western edges of the canal front, the land that was lying vacant in 2005, was allocated for the construction of workshops and factories. In the surrounding region, there are upcoming developments which was a vacant land back in 2005. The remainder regions of the Nayapatti mouza saw a densification in terms of the number of settlements. Not only was there new houses getting constructed, many houses were also getting upgraded through time. For example, the kutcha and the semi-pakka near the canal front, which was existing on private land, was upgraded to semi-pakka and pakka respectively. Also, the New Town flyover which was getting constructed during 2005, became fully operational during this time period.

Figure 4.16 : Nayapatti mouza during 2017 – rapid densification, up-gradations and operational transport links

Source: Google Earth

2017: The present day situation of this mouza, is that it has experienced extreme densification throughout the mouza. Barring the vacant land plot on the south-east of the mouza, there is a total absence in open spaces, as evident from the geographical representation shown above. This is one of the only mouzas alongside Mahishbathan which has been heavily affected by rapid urbanization, which is demographically and statistically stated earlier. The reason for this rapid urbanization, can be attributed to the fact that Nayapatti is the closest mouza to both Sector V and Salt Lake, which seem to have a heavy influence on Nayapatti and Mahishbathan also. In addition, the New Town flyover is fully operational currently and is one of the busiest connectors in this region, as it is the main link from Salt Lake to Sector V and onwards towards New Town. The developed transport link and abundance of transportation options have also to an extent spurred up the urbanization and densification in Nayapatti.