COUNTER MAGNETS & SATELLITE TOWNS

COUNTER MAGNETS & SATELLITE TOWNS

TOPIC: Geography

Section: Economic geography

Context- The Government of Himachal Pradesh passed the Shimla Development Plan February 9, 2022, for the construction of a ‘counter-magnet’ and four satellite towns to decongest and transfer urbanisation load from the core Shimla city.

Concept-

• A counter-magnet town is proposed to be set up near Shimla airport and four satellite towns will come up near Ghandal, Naldehra, Fagu and Chamiyana.

Counter Magnets & Satellite Towns:

• Counter-magnet towns are those that can be developed as alternative hubs of development and have the potential to attract more people / immigrants from a larger city in the area.
• Satellite towns are small municipalities that are adjacent to a larger city and serve as part of the larger city and provide housing and other amenities for the people working in the larger city.
• Satellite Town is defined as the urban centre which is functionally integrated with mega city and is located on the major transportation line connecting the city and it serves as the secondary settlement to the city.
• Eventually the Satellite Town become a part of urban agglomeration and later into the town cities.
• Satellite towns are an important part of settlement planning as the satellite town helps to ease the overcrowded burden of the metro city and absorb the economic pressure.
• Satellite towns may be new or old which is separated from the metro city by some physical barriers such as a hill, river, etc.
  • It is completely or partially free from the dependence from metros city but functionally dependent on the metro city.
• Examples of Satellite Town:
  • The satellite city of Mumbai is the Navi-Mumbai and Pune.
  • Kolkata- Kalyanpur
  • Delhi- Faridabad, Noida
  • Delhi has many satellite cities such as Meruth, Noida, Gurgaon, and
  • Hyderabad- Secunderabad (has now become twin city).
  • In the USA, the satellite city of New York city is Allentown.

About Shimla:

• Shimla was made the summer capital of India in 1864 during British rule.
• At the time of it being made the capital of British India, the city could meet the needs of a population of only 16,000 people.
• The population has grown more than 15 times in the last 120 years.
• Shimla is situated in a mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh.
• Besides, it falls in an earthquake-sensitive Zone IV (High Damage Risk Zone) per the Earthquake hazard zoning of India.
• As the summer capital, Shimla hosted many important political meetings including the Simla Accord of 1914 and the Simla Conference of 1945.
• Even after independence, the city remained an important political centre, hosting the Simla Agreement of 1972.
• Shimla was built on top of seven hills:Inverarm Hill, Observatory Hill, Prospect Hill, Summer Hill, Bantony Hill, Elysium Hill and Jakhu Hill.
• The highest point in Shimla is the Jakhu hill, which is at a height of 2,454 metres (8,051 ft).