The growth and limitations of Dravidian urbanism

Context:

Tamil Nadu’s (T.N.) urban trajectory has been distinct from most other parts of India as it had focused largely on their achievement of economic growth and welfare outcomes sustained by its Societal History.

The Growth Trajectory:

• Efforts to breakdown discrimination: T.N. has continuously attempted the breakdown of traditional caste-based hierarchies to enable the upward mobility of ordinary people, transforming them into agents of urban transformation.
• Urbanisation and citizen involvement: The development is more broad-based, being driven by multiple urban centres rather than a few metropolitan cities, as in the case of Maharashtra or Gujarat.
  • These measures are responsible for the fact that 48.4% of T.N.’s population lives in urban areas compared to the all-India average of 34% (2011 Census).