In-Text Questions

Question: Look at the satellite images of Delhi (1991 vs 2016). Delhi has grown on the banks of a river. Can you name this river?

Answer: The river is the Yamuna.

A. Fill in the blanks

1. At present, around 54% of the global population lives in urban areas.
2. The increasing use of machines for agricultural processes has left many agricultural workers jobless.
3. Due to the lack of affordable housing, settlements with very poor living conditions called slums develop in urban areas.
4. Navi Mumbai and Thane are satellite cities of Mumbai.
5. A well-developed system of e-Governance allows citizens to access several government services online.

B. True or False (Correct the false statements)

1. Statement: All people who live in cities live in spacious apartments.
   Answer: False. Many people in cities live in cramped spaces with minimal facilities or in slums due to the high cost of housing.
2. Statement: Cities have well-developed systems of local transport.
   Answer: True.
3. Statement: Satellite cities are economically dependent on the metropolises they lie near.
   Answer: False. Satellite cities are self-sufficient and socially and economically independent.
4. Statement: E-Governance makes citizen participation in government affairs more difficult.
   Answer: False. E-governance encourages citizen participation in decision-making and makes it easier to access services.
5. Statement: Smart cities discourage the use of bicycles as they slow down the traffic.
   Answer: False. Smart cities encourage the use of bicycles by creating bike lanes to reduce pollution and congestion.

C. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Rapid urbanisation began to take place in many countries during the:
   Answer: c) Industrial Revolution
2. There is an increase in crime rates in urban areas because:
   Answer: b) overpopulation puts a strain on law enforcement systems
3. Small cities built around or near large cities are known as:
   Answer: a) satellite cities
4. HITEC City is the satellite city of:
   Answer: b) Hyderabad

D. Give reasons for the following

1. Skilled craftsmen like weavers and blacksmiths move to urban areas.
   Answer: They move in search of better opportunities because their skills are absorbed by emerging industries and factories in cities, especially after being displaced by machines in rural areas.
2. Pollution is a major problem in urban areas.
   Answer: The concentration of numerous human activities, industrial activity, improper waste management, and the high use of fuel-based vehicles cause high levels of air, noise, water, and land pollution.
3. People living in urban areas are often more open-minded than people who live in rural areas.
   Answer: In cities, people are exposed to a variety of cultures and diverse groups of people, which usually makes them more broad-minded and tolerant.
4. Vehicles in smart cities are equipped with commuter-friendly technology.
   Answer: Smart cities use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve efficiency, reduce congestion, and provide real-time data to improve transport services for residents.

E. Answer in brief

1. What is urbanisation?
   Answer: Urbanisation is the process by which towns and cities grow, marked by a gradual increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas.
2. What are slums? Why do they develop?
   Answer: Slums are settlements with very poor living conditions. They develop because of a lack of affordable housing and the high cost of land in cities, forcing people to live in cramped spaces with minimal facilities.
3. Mention any four causes of urbanisation.
   Answer: (1) Employment opportunities in factories, (2) Better access to facilities like electricity and piped water, (3) Advanced medical facilities, and (4) Better educational and training opportunities.
4. What are satellite cities? Give two examples of satellite cities in India.
   Answer: Satellite cities are small, planned cities built around or near a metropolis to accommodate excess population and reduce the load on the main city. Examples: Gurugram (New Delhi) and Navi Mumbai (Mumbai).
5. Define smart cities. Name two cities of India that are going to be turned into smart cities.
   Answer: A smart city is a modern city that uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet to improve infrastructure and management. Examples in India: Kochi and Pune.

F. Answer in detail

1. What was the Industrial Revolution? Assess its impact on urbanisation.
   Answer: The Industrial Revolution was a period in the 18th century when goods began to be mass-produced in factories using machines instead of being made by hand at home. It triggered a major spurt in urbanisation as many workers migrated from rural areas to urban centres in search of factory employment.
2. What are the causes of urbanisation?
   Answer: The primary causes include the mechanization of agriculture (leaving rural workers jobless), the search for better-paying factory jobs, access to superior infrastructure (transport, communication, electricity), better healthcare, and higher-quality educational institutions.
3. Discuss two negative and two positive aspects of urbanisation.
   Answer: Positive: (1) Efficient use of resources through multi-storey buildings and public transport; (2) Economic development and better standards of living. Negative: (1) Pressure on limited land leading to slums; (2) Environmental degradation and high pollution levels.
4. Describe ways in which we can reduce the negative impact of urbanisation.
   Answer: Negative impacts can be reduced by creating employment and education in rural areas to reduce migration, building affordable housing in suburbs to curb slums, and imposing strict pollution rules on industries.
5. 'Keeping urban areas clean is a huge challenge.' Do you agree? Justify your answer.
   Answer: Yes, because cities generate enormous amounts of waste daily. While municipalities collect garbage and clean streets, the number of dustbins and public toilets is often insufficient for the population. This requires additional efforts from NGOs and local communities through cleanliness drives.
6. Why do satellite cities develop? Describe their main features.
   Answer: They develop to reduce the pressure on the resources of a metropolis. Features include being smaller than the main city, being separated by a geographical barrier, having their own municipal corporations, and offering affordable housing while remaining well-connected to the metropolis.
7. Discuss the features of smart cities.
   Answer: Smart cities are sustainable and environment-friendly. They use renewable energy, energy-efficient technology, ICT for real-time monitoring of services, and e-Governance to allow citizens to access services online and participate in decision-making.
8. Point out the differences between a smart city and an urban centre.
   Answer: In a smart city, resource use is planned and sustainable, and technology is built into the infrastructure to fix inefficiencies. In a regular urban centre, resource use is often unplanned and focuses on short-term returns, with technology mostly limited to the private sector.

Analysing and Critical Thinking

Question: Why do you think the focus of smart cities is on being sustainable?

Answer: The focus is on sustainability to ensure that resources like water and energy are available for future generations. Since urban populations are growing rapidly, only sustainable practices like using renewable energy and efficient waste management can prevent total environmental collapse and resource scarcity.

Look and Learn

1. Why does the road have a cycle drawn on it?
   Answer: It indicates a dedicated bike lane meant specifically for cyclists.
2. What does this ensure?
   Answer: It ensures the safety of cyclists and encourages people to use eco-friendly transport, which reduces traffic congestion and pollution.
3. How do public bicycle systems function?
   Answer: They provide bicycles on rent at various accessible points around the city. Users can pick up a bike from one point and often drop it off at another, frequently using internet-enabled apps for transactions.

Life Skills and Values

Question: What values must the citizens develop to improve the traffic situation in India? Suggest some measures that can be taken to enforce traffic rules.

Answer: Citizens must develop values like responsibility, respect for the law, and empathy for the safety of others. To enforce rules, authorities can use technology like CCTV cameras for automatic ticketing, increase fines for violations, and conduct regular awareness campaigns in schools and offices.