The Site

1 Location and Setting

The site designated for development of Gwalior West is located on the west side of NH3 between the Sank river and the National Highway. It is contiguous to the existing settlement of Lashkar in Gwalior and yet has a distinct identity due to the physical separation created by the Gupteshwar and Hanuman hills. Because of its close proximity to Lashkar, the site has a potential for integration with the city of Gwalior.
Another important feature is the large water reservoir at Tighra. It is, in fact, part of a network of reservoirs built several years ago by the Scindias. Tighra Reservoir can provide sufficient water for an additional population of 1 million persons. The large size of the Tighra Reservoir and the quality and views which it affords, make it an ideal for various aquatic sports and recreational activities.

The area to the south west and to the west up to the Tighra Reservoir, is a mixture of scrub and forest land. It is undulating in topography and affords some excellent views.

2.2 Accessibility and Linkages

The SADA area is connected with Agra Bombay Road (NH3) through a narrow link road which terminates at the Tighra Water Reservoir. The site is also well linked with other regional roads such as the Jhansi Road and Bhind Road. The network of existing and proposed intercity road offers convenient access to the existing city. A purposed city bypass to the south along the national highway is being planned.
Distance of Gwalior from major settlements and tourist centres is presented in form of Table 2.2-1, Distance Matrix.
Table 2.2-1
Distance Matrix
Settlement Distance (km)
Delhi 319
Mumbai 1089
Agra 119
Mathura 175
Indore 487
Shivpuri 114
Jhansi 101
Bhopal 422

The main Gwalior station is about 15 km away from the SADA site. The small existing railway station at Rairu has the potential for development as an integrated transport terminal which could serve greater Gwalior as a second station in the 21st century. Gwalior is a major junction on the North-South India rail circuit and is well connected by major trains. Gwalior enjoys excellent access from Delhi Shatabdi Express covering the distance in three hours.

Major trains connecting Gwalior are listed in Table 2.2-2
Table 2-2-2
Major Trains
Trains Route
Shatabdi Express Delhi-Bhopal
Goa Express Delhi-Vasco
Jhelum Express Jammu Tawi-Pune
Kerala Express Delhi-Thiruvanandrapuram
Karnataka Express Delhi-Bangalore
Taj Express Delhi-Gwalior
Tamilnadu Express Delhi-Chennai
Andhra Express Delhi-Hyderabad
The present airport is located towards the north. Indian Airlines and private airlines have started operations between Gwalior and other cities, including, Indore and Bhopal.

2.3 Administrative Boundaries

The SADA area contains 36 villages. The SADA area lies mostly within Gwalior District (except for 6 villages which lie in Morena district). These villages cover two tahsil -- Gird (Gwalior District) and Morena (Morena District); and two blocks -- Ghatigoan (Gwalior District) and Morena (Morena District). Their nyaya panchayats are situated in Ghatigoan (Gwalior District) and Morena (Morena District). Many of these villages have their own gram panchayata (Some gram panchayats have joint jurisdiction over a group of village; such as Tighra). Some villages falls within the jurisdiction of the nearest nager palikas of Banmore -- Banmore Khurd, Banmore kalan, Bela and Pawaya. (Refer Figure 2.3-1)

2.4 Demographic Profile

The total population in the 36 rural settlements is about 5973 (1991 census) distributed in approximately 5395 households (Average Household size of 7.5). Twenty-one percent of the population is aged below 7 years. The most populated urban area Banmore 19216 population and village Barai with population 6542 and least papillated village is Banmore Khurd with papulation of about 67 in 1991. The total area to the village settlement is about 3150 ha. With area of individual settlements ranging fro 87 hectares (Gajipura) to 5303 ha. (Barai). The total no of occupied households in all the villages is 5395.

The literacy share is about 25% (1991) which is comparatively lower than the district level. Among the total literate the male literate accounts for 6730 (68%) and female literate to 2410 (22%).

The total workers in the villages are about 12165 (1991) which is almost 30% to total population (work force participation rate) of the total workers, almost 83% are workers engaged in the primary sector, 7% in the secondary sector and rest 10% are engaged in tertiary sector as per 1991 census figures. Thus primary sector plays a major role as a source of income for the villagers at present. The development of new town would lead to occupational shift from the agrarian at present to secondary and tertiary activities. The development of new town would provide growing opportunities fir the villagers in the this area. Out of the secondary activities in these villages most of the people are engaged in construction activities (49%) or the manufacturing and other non-household processing industries. Refer Figure 2.4-1

2.5 Land Ownership Status of planning Area

The status of land on the SADA site can be broadly divided into three categories - forest land (14,500 hectares), public/Government land (6,500 hectares), and private land (9,000). Out of these categories, public land offers the most attractive opportunity for development as it is readily available. Villages that are located near govt. Land could be developed for public semi-public use taking into consideration the needs the villages nearby. (Refer fig.2.5.2)

2.6 Existing Landuse

The site covers a total area of 30,014 hectares of which forest land is 14,363 hact. which constitutes 49 percent of the total area under forests; 30 percent is under agriculture; 8 percent is under colturable waste; and 17 percent of the total area is not available for cultivation (this area is inclusive of rocky outcrops, abadi areas, water bodies, etc.) Some unauthorised stone quarrying is being carried out near the Tighra Reservoir.

The forestland is one of the major parameters while planning for these rural settlements as it has to be conserved land thus villages in the vicinity of these forest land has to be provided with development opportunities which are compatible to the existence of forest area adjoining it. The maximum forest area located in the southern area of Barai, Panihar, Raipur and Nayagaon. These villages may grow in a natural rate and development of new town would not have any major effect on these villages.

The total agricultural land is about 9600 hact. Which is 30% of the total area under village settlements. The maximum agricultural land is under Barai (1000 ha.), Panihar (1237 ha.) and Kuleth village (848 ha.). These village are located in the periphery of the SADA area and should be developed as an agro-based economic centers with supporting secondary sector development. 5000 ha. (17%) of the area consists of abadi or abadi area, rocky outcrops, and water bodies and are not suitable for agricultural use. (Refer fig. 2.6.1, fig. 2.6.2)

2.7 Climate and Rainfall

The climate in the Gwalior region may be described as composite with hot and dry summers, hot and humid seasons and short autumns and winters. Mean maximum temperature in summers 33º C, with the highest maximum of 45-47º C, and mean minimum temperature in winter is 18.5º C with the lowest minimum temperature in the range of 1º C to 3º C.

The city region falls in a rain shadow zone, and the rainfall in the area is 700 mm/annum which is half the average rainfall during the monsoon months in the state, between mid June to mid September.
The predominant wind direction, is form the northwest with strong and hot winds in summer. Wind speed is approximately 8 km/hour is summer and a low velocity of 2 km/hour in the month of December. Topographic features of the site create special conditions in certain pockets of the site.

2.8 Topography and Natural Drainage

The site has well marked physiographic features which provide it with a strong sense of place and create discrete physical areas of varying shapes and sizes. The land forms offer opportunities for creating an interesting city scape in an undulating landscape punctuated by moderate sized hills, which dominate without creating a sense of awe.

The Eastern boundary of the site is formed by the Gupteshwar and Hanuman hills. The Land features in the south, include hills and valleys which are ideally suited for conservation. This is reinforced by their designation as reserve forest land. Smaller mounds north of Tighra Road are distribution the edges of moderately sloping lands which are well suited for development works associated with urbanization. There are several table top plateaus, which can provide visual nodes in the urban scape.

The SADA land area is predominantly drained by the river Sank which runs from south to north. The Suvernarekha river runs toward the northeastern segment of the side and drains a smaller portion. Surface run off is mostly toward north and northwest. There are four major drainage basins to receive the surface runoff upstream of the Tighra Dam. These are several ponds and agricultural tanks which are formed by construction of dams on the drainage channels. The area is not vulnerable to floods.
(Refer fig 2.8.1)

2.9 Soils and Vegetation

Soil structure is mostly alluvial and murrum. The soil cover is loose except in small pockets and is not well suited for agricultural activities in Its natural state. The sub-soil base is hard in many areas with rock striate in general. It is therefore better suited for urbanization.

The site is marked by large pockets of fallow and barren land. There is cultivation in patches but the soils in general have low fertility. A review of vegetation in the area shows the following features :
Valleys and southern slopes in the higher areas support some vegetation.
Plantation is seen along water courses especially in the Tighra catchment area.
Slopes facing north and northwest do not support any ground covered and shrubs
Forestland are denuded.

2.10 Existing Infrastructure

Availability of infrastructure facilities is a major issue in most of the villages and present condition of infrastructure has been analyzed in a detailed manner to assess the future needs for the these villages. Depending on the present availability of infrastructure in a village its future role can be assessed and
Accordingly certain development guidelines can be proposed for the future.
A scalogram analysis for the present infrastructure availability is done to assess and grade different settlements in terms of the order of infrastructure available in these villages.

Physical infrastructure :

Water supply is available in most of the village in the form of wells, taps or handpump but any from of planned water network is absent. Water supply need to be enhanced for villages in a prioritized manner.
According to the 1991 census 30 out of the 36 villages have legal electricity connections available for all purposes. Street lighting need to be improved in most of the villages.
Absence of sewerage networks in villages. There is need to provide for alternate measures to improve sanitation facilities in the villages.

One of the aims of the proposed transportation network for Gwalior west is to provide for connectivity to strategic villages and provide for an effective public transport. There is need to provide for bus movement along corridors connecting strategic villages with bus stops in the vicinity of these villages.
31 out of the 36 villages have primary school facility available, whereas 7 villages have middle school facility and 3 villages i.e. Baria, Panihar and Jinawali have a PU college making them a potential center of development.

Social Infrastructure

Medical facilities are absent in most of the villages. Only 5 out of the 36 villages have some or the other kind of planned medical facility available. Out of these 5 only 3 villages i.e. Kuleth, Barai, and Tighra have a primary health center. Thus there is a need to provide for health facilities especially in all the higher order village settlements.
On analyzing the availability of infrastructure in different village settlements a scalogram was prepared and different settlements are divided into five order to settlements ranging from I to V. the different villages falling under different order is as follow :
Table 2.10.1
Order of village settlements

ORDER VILLAGES

I Panihar, Kulaith, Barai, Tighra, Barau Nurabad, Milawali, Jinawali
II Nirawali, Raipur, Nayagaon, Maharajpura, Rampur, Bithauli, Kaitha, Odpura, Beelpura, Bara
III Sojna, Tilgana, Sigora, Kheriya Kuleth, Bela, Bamaur Khurd
IV Sujwaya, Malipura, Dugnawali, Jigsoli, Jebra, Bhaypura, Jaipur, Nayagaon
V Gajipura, Mangupura, Nayakpura, Bamaur Kalan, Phoolpur, Pawaya
(Refer Scalogram Annexure I)