Geospatial analysis of contemporary urbanisation and rural–urban transition in Mangaluru, India

The future of urban growth in India and the developing world is predicted to occur in small and medium-sized cities. Subtleties of such urbanisation need to be studied considering implications for the future of urbanisation. The contemporary urbanisation of developing countries is characterised by rapid rural–urban transition, emerging small cities and narrowing boundaries between urban and rural. An unprecedented increase in Census Towns (CTs) in India during the last decade has substantiated this fact. However, there is a lack of serious studies on unacknowledged urbanisation resulting in rapid rural–urban transition, particularly among the emerging cities of India. In the current study, an attempt was made to understand the role of CTs in contemporary urbanisation and the emergence of small and medium towns through a case study of Mangaluru City. Understanding the dynamics of urbanisation in these small towns is relevant in the context of their role in accommodating the future urban population of the country. The study employed remote sensing, GIS analysis, and spatial metrics using satellite imageries and census data to examine the dynamics of rural–urban transitions in Mangaluru. The results show evidence of rural–urban transition due to rapid increase in CTs as an emergent urbanisation formation in the region. It also recognises rapidly changing urban dynamics of CTs and finds spatial proximity of CTs to statutory towns and transportation networks adds to the spatiality of urbanisation in the region. The study, the first of its kind, contributes to understanding the dynamics of rural–urban transition and in-situ urbanisation in the context of increasing CTs. Further, we recommend a need for proper urban governance and institutional framework to sustainably manage urban growth in the CTs and recognise their role in the future urbanisation of the country.