TYPOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN VARANASI CITY

Abstract

The economic geography of cities is uneven, so is the social geography. In Varanasi, the swift influx of migrants has fueled a surge in housing demands, resulting in the proliferation of informal settlements. These settlements have emerged haphazardly and illegally within urban areas. The aim of this paper is to identify informal settlements of Varanasi City and classify them according to typology. The study also aims to present spatial distribution of informal settlements in the city. The paper reveals that informal settlements are spread all over the city. However, unauthorised colonies are concentrated in Outer and Middle Zone, while Slums are mainly concentrated in Middle and core zone. This spatial pattern of informal settlements mirrors the observations of Burgee's model, suggesting its relevance in deciphering Varanasi's spatial structure.