SHWETA & SABIH

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C H A N D I G A R H

THE ORIGIN OF CHANDIGARH

Prior to the partition of India, Lahore was the capital city of undivided Punjab. But, after the partition, when Lahore went to Pakistan, The eastern Punjab, in India, became a state without a capital. Also, it led to the migration of people of west Punjab to the eastern towns within India. These two factors gave rise to the need to choose a site in the foothills of Shivalik range that would serve as the capital of Punjab.

Finally, a site was selected, but that was in the shape of farms. After the site was finalized, a master plan for the city was prepared by an American team (Mayor, Whittleslay, Glass & Nowicki). The project faced a setback with the sudden demise of Nowicki. It was then that the other teammates refused to work on the project.

In the year 1951, the well-known French architect, named Le Corbusier, took the charge of giving the city a modern look.

He decided to work in two phases. While designing the city, factors like pollution, traffi c, travel and tourism and other environmental aspects were borne in mind. This is how Chandigarh turned into a well-planned capital city of Punjab, India.

Master plan’s legislation consists of Periphery Control, providing a green belt of 16kms. around the city consisting of 47 sectors.

The base of the City Plan is a rectangular grid of heavy traffi c roads enclosing the self-contained neighborhoods or Sectors.

The site had to accommodate an initial population of 150 000 (ultimately 500 000, now one million and still growing).

Each neighborhood unit (sector) is 1200x800mts. and has a population ranging between 5000 – 35000. Northern sector has less density than Southern Sectors.

All sectors are further under Architectural control, which consist of Frame Control, Material Control, Elevation Control etc. Also there is hierarchy of Road System (7Vs). Landscape is another feature incorporated in initial master plan.

The road and sector system almost completely separates vehicular and pedestrian traffi c.

The sectors are interconnected by the shopping street running across, and by park belts, lengthwise. The pedestrian can thus traverse the city in both directions without walking on the major traffi c streets.

Road in City Center (Sector-17)

Garden along the main road

Le Corbusier theory of 7Vs

A hierarchy of roads separated pedestrian and vehicular traffi c into seven different road types, from V1 for the fast-moving inter-city traffic to V7 for pedestrians within the sectors.

The fast moving traffi c is restricted to the rectangular grid of heavy traffi c roads, which are designated V2 and V3. These roads are at the outer sides of the Sector.

Inside the sectors, protected from fast traffi c are the V4, V5, V6 and V7, which provide access to the houses, shopping center, schools, hospitals etc.

Later a V8 was added: cycle and pedestrian paths.

Dense Streetlights for good lighting in the city

Le Corbusier also introduced a biological element to the layout of the city. He regarded the plan as being similar to the human body –

the ‘head’ contained the capital complex,

the ‘heart’ the commercial centre, and the ‘arms’, which were

perpendicular to the main axis, had the academic and leisure facilities. The plan incorporated Le Corbusier principles of light, space and greenery.

The avenue of the Capitol consists of a heavy traffi c automobile highway of a parallel band of parking, a large pavement on each side with shops and arcades and high buildings.

He planned the city in such a way that even a tourist can easily find his own way. There are maps displayed along the walkways and footpaths.

He took upon himself the tasks of designing the buildings of the Capitol and exercising architectural control over the city.

The Capital complex comprises three architectural masterpieces: the "Secretariat", the "High Court" and the "Legislative Assembly", separated by large piazzas. In the heart of the Capital Complex stands the giant metallic sculpture of The Open Hand, the offi cial emblem of Chandigarh, signifying the city's credo of "open to given, open to receive".

As an element of urban design and as a means of hiding the sameness of the sectors, provision was made for tree planting and a protected green belt on the periphery of the site. Trees were used to give form and identity to the city, blossoming in a variety of colors, according to the seasons.

The capital complex

ROADSThe roads are designed and oriented in such a way that most of the time during the day, they are under shadow.

There are huge parking areas for the commercial zones so that the Parking problems don’t create a havoc on the main roads. The Parking lanes are as broad as the main roads.

There are pedestrian walkway roads that are segregated from the main road with the help of a wide lawn strip. There are huge gardens along the main roads.

The traffi c of the bicycles, to wheelers, auto-cycles will have to take a separate way along the green ribbon with the intention to realize the function of the bicycles in the modern city. The two wheeled vehicles have never to use the same way as the four wheels and the three wheels, Chandigarh is the first application of this new system of roads .

Roads in Chandigarh

Ample areas have been provided for parks in the master plan of the Capital. For these parks informal planting has been adopted.

Interior belts with their continuous flow combine with the outer green belts to give a verdant feeling to the whole city. They also give a sense of direction and dramatically culminate in the Capital. Facing the parks are building groups such as the Public Library, Art Gallery, the Museum and the Girls College.

There are narrow greenways connecting major parks, and an area of seventy-five acres has been allowed for a zoological garden, and hundred acres for the botanical gardens.

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