Between 2011 and 2021, India's urban population grew by 27 per cent, with rural-to-urban migration accounting for a significant portion of this increase. As migrants flock into cities, the urban demographic landscape is undergoing dramatic shifts. According to the 2024 World Population Review, Delhi's population grew from 22.7 million in 2011 to 31.2 million in 2021, with a significant proportion of this increase attributed to migration. Similarly, Bengaluru and Hyderabad recorded migration rates of 43 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, during the same period. However, this rapid urbanization has not translated into equitable living standards. As of 2022, over 41 per cent of the Indian urban population lived in slums, and this figure is expected to rise sharply as migration accelerates. These slums often lack basic amenities, with over 40 per cent of residents lacking access to clean water and 60 per cent living without proper sanitation facilities. The human cost of migration is staggering, with health issues such as waterborne diseases and respiratory illnesses rising by 23 per cent in urban slum populations between 2015 and 2022 (Krishna & Raj, 2022).

Migration and climate change are closely linked. The reasons for migration are not solely limited to climate impacts, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather, but also include displacement due to livelihood challenges caused by droughts, frequent flooding, land degradation, food insecurity, and resource scarcity. On the other hand, cities are facing environmental, social, and economic challenges due to this influx. Cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai experience amplified temperatures due to dense infrastructure and limited greenery. Increased heatwaves are leading to heat-related illnesses and fatalities, especially among vulnerable populations. Higher temperatures are driving up energy consumption for cooling, straining resources and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Urban growth, combined with the mismanagement of water resources, has also led to water shortages in cities like Bengaluru and Delhi. Rising temperatures exacerbate air pollution by intensifying ground-level ozone formation, aggravating respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Despite these challenges, there continues to be a significant influx of migrants into Indian cities every year. Urgent action is required to build resilience against these impacts and to balance development with sustainability.

Rural-Urban Migration Trends in India

According to the PLFS Report on Migration in India (2020–21), 28.9 per cent of India's population are migrants. In rural areas, the migration rate is 26.5 per cent, while in urban areas it is staggeringly high at 34.9 per cent. This means that for every 10 people in urban areas, around 4 are migrants. Of the urban migrants, 54.4 per cent have migrated from rural areas. Among the migrated workers, 34 per cent of male migrants and 16 per cent of female migrants have moved from rural to urban areas (Figure 1). Notably, 63 per cent of female migrants relocated due to marriage, contributing to more rural-to-rural migration among women. However, 57 per cent of male migrants in urban areas reported migration due to employment-related reasons, including searching for better job opportunities, proximity to workplaces, and job loss or lack of employment opportunities (Figure 2). Additionally, 21 per cent of male migrants and 19 per cent of female migrants relocated due to the migration of parents. Although less than 1 per cent of migration is driven by extreme events like natural disasters, a significant portion of migration is driven by the lack of livelihood opportunities, which can often be attributed to climate impacts.

The 2021 PLFS report highlights that 67 per cent of migrants were excluded from welfare programmes due to the absence of local identity documents. Urban planning has struggled to keep pace with this influx. In Delhi, for instance, the urban housing shortage stood at 1.1 million units in 2022, forcing many migrants to live in hazardous conditions. Meanwhile, peri-urban areas—villages on the fringes of cities—are witnessing haphazard development as they absorb overflow populations without adequate infrastructure. These zones, which housed 35 per cent of India's urban migrants in 2021, are emerging as hotspots of socio-economic inequality.

Challenges for Indian Cities

Economic challenges compound the problem. Migrants often take up precarious jobs in the informal sector, which employs over 90 per cent of India's workforce. A study by Srivastava and Sutradhar (2016) revealed that the construction sector absorbed 36 per cent of migrant workers, yet wages in the sector remained stagnant, averaging just INR300 per day. Meanwhile, rural regions suffer from the outflow of skilled labour. Bihar, one of the states most affected by migration, saw a 15 per cent decline in agricultural output over the last decade as young, able-bodied individuals left in search of better opportunities. This demographic imbalance is creating pockets of aging rural populations, intensifying economic stagnation and social vulnerability in these areas.

The environmental implications of urban sprawl are equally alarming. The loss of green cover in cities like Bengaluru and Chennai has accelerated, with Bengaluru losing 4 per cent of its vegetation cover between 2006 and 2019. Urban water bodies, essential for sustainable urban living, are also under threat. Anna University projects that by 2030, around 60 per cent of the city's groundwater will be critically degraded, partly due to the growing demand from its expanding migrant population.

Cities also face significant climate change challenges, including urban heat islands, increased flooding from sea-level rise and heavy rainfall, and air pollution that harms public health. For instance, the 2023 floods in Delhi caused the inundation of 5 districts, with 35,000 residents having to be evacuated. Water scarcity, extreme weather, and rising energy demands continue to strain resources and infrastructure, while disruptions to food supply chains threaten food security. Vulnerable populations, particularly those living in informal settlements, are disproportionately affected, exacerbating urban inequality. Poor waste management further contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and urban expansion leads to biodiversity loss. To address these issues, cities must adopt climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable planning, and policies aimed at reducing emissions and protecting vulnerable communities.

Role of Urban Planning in Managing Migration and Building Resilience

Migration presents both challenges and opportunities for urban planning, particularly in the areas of housing, infrastructure, and social integration (Ray et al., 2020). Increased migration often leads to the growth of informal settlements, a higher demand for affordable housing, and pressure on public services and transportation systems. Urban planners must also address economic integration by creating job opportunities and promoting sustainable planning practices to manage growth and the environmental impact of expanding cities. Effective urban planning should focus on designing sustainable, efficient, and resilient cities (Table 1).

Table 1: Key areas of urban planning

Sustainable urban planning promotes adaptation and contributes to mitigation efforts. A significant reduction in carbon emissions from transportation can be achieved through effective urban design. Policies and planning should focus on promoting public transit, constructing cycling paths and walkways to reduce transportation emissions, implementing energy-efficient buildings and renewable energy systems, and creating green infrastructure, such as parks and green roofs, to combat urban heat and sequester carbon. It should also emphasize the preservation of natural areas, sustainable waste management practices, and community engagement to raise awareness about these issues.

Implementing sustainable urban planning is challenging due to rapid, unplanned growth, inadequate infrastructure, and high resource demand in cities—issues further exacerbated by social inequities and resistance to sustainable practices. Addressing these problems requires integrated policies, enhanced funding, capacity-building, and community engagement to create low-carbon, sustainable cities. Strengthening governance, enforcing regulations, and leveraging technology, such as GIS and digital platforms, can ensure the effective implementation of these strategies. However, these policies should also be accompanied by efforts to promote balanced regional development and job opportunities in rural areas to ensure long-term sustainability

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https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-chennai-one-of-the-worlds-wettest-major-cities-ran-out-of-water/articleshow/80680182.cms?from=mdr#