Role of Migration in Urbanisation in the Himalayan Foothill Region of West Bengal, India: A Geospatial Analysis

Abstract

The present study analyses rural to urban migration and the growth of urban centres in the Himalayan foothill region (Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Koch Bihar) of West Bengal and investigates the role of migration in urban growth and processes in this region. The study is based on data from the Census of India (migration table and general population table) from 1951 to 2011. Geospatial techniques have been used to show the evaluation, spatial distribution and growth of urban centres in the recent past. The study found that from 1951 to 2011, the total population increased by 4 times, while the total urban population increased by 10 times, and the number of urban centres increased by 7 times, which is higher than the national level. The proportion of the urban population and the concentration of urban centres show that urbanisation in the Himalayan foothill region is mainly concentrated in the district headquarters. The study also illustrates that migration towards urban centres is a dominant factor contributing to the progress and growth of urban centres in this region. Moreover, the growth of new urban centres, the direction of urban growth and the contribution of migration to urban growth predict that Koch Bihar and Alipurduar urban agglomerations will join together and emerge as twin cities in the Himalayan foothill region.