Infrastructure Development in India

 Public infrastructure is the backbone of economic development, enhancing connectivity, trade, and overall quality of life. India, the world's fifth-largest economy, has made remarkable progress in infrastructure development over the past decade.

The total infrastructure investment in India has significantly increased, with public and private sector contributions shaping the growth trajectory. India's total infrastructure spending has grown exponentially, with budget allocations rising to ₹10 lakh crore in 2023-24.

PM Gati Shakti

The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP), launched in 2021, is designed to bring together various Ministries, including Railways and Roadways, to ensure integrated planning and coordinated execution of infrastructure projects. The initiative aims to provide seamless and efficient connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services across various modes of transport, thereby enhancing last-mile connectivity and reducing travel time. This project has onboarded 44 Central Ministries and 36 States/UTs and a total of 1,614 data layers have also been integrated, by October 2024. A milestone of assessing 208 big-ticket infrastructure projects worth Rs. 15.39 lakh crores, of various Ministries adhering to PM Gati Shakti principles has been achieved.

India’s World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranking improved by 6 places from 44 in 2018 to 38 out of 139 countries in 2023. To complement PM GatiShakti, National Logistics Policy was launched in September 2022. 26 states have notified their State-level logistics policy, so far.

Highways and Roads

India has the second largest road network in the world and its National Highways span a total length of 1,46,145 km, forming the primary arterial network of the country. The Government of India has undertaken several initiatives to enhance and strengthen the National Highways network through flagship programmes such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana which includes the subsumed National Highway Development Project (NHDP), the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North-East Region (SARDP-NE), and many more ongoing projects.

• India's National Highway (NH) network expanded from 65,569 km in 2004 to 91,287 km in 2014 and 1,46,145 km in 2024.
• NH stretches with four or more lanes grew 2.6 times from 18,371 km in 2014 to 48,422 km in 2024.
• Operational High-Speed Corridors increased from 93 km in 2014 to 2,138 km in 2024.
• NH construction pace rose 2.8 times from 12.1 km/day in 2014-15 to 33.8 km/day in 2023-24.

• Capital expenditure (including private investment) surged 5.7 times from ₹53,000 crore in 2013-14 to ₹3.01 lakh crore in 2023-24 (highest ever).

Bharatmala Pariyojana

Launched in 2017, the Bharatmala Pariyojana envisages development of about 26,000 km length of Economic Corridors, which along with Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors are expected to carry majority of the freight traffic on roads. It also envisages development of ring roads / bypasses and elevated corridors to decongest the traffic passing through cities and enhance logistic efficiency. A total of 18,926 km of roads have been completed under project by November 2024.

Further network of 35 Multimodal Logistics Parks is planned to be developed as part of Bharatmala Pariyojana, with a total investment of about Rs. 46,000 crore, which once operational, shall be able to handle around 700 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was launched by the Government of India, in 2000, to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy.

In 2006-2007, 1,07,370 km of roads were completed under the PMGSY, with a total expenditure of ₹10,769 crore. In 2014-15, 4,19,358 km of roads were completed with a total expenditure of ₹130,149 crore and in 2024-25, 7,71,950 km of roads were completed with a total expenditure of ₹ 331,584 crore.

Civil Aviation

India's aviation sector is experiencing a meteoric rise, fueled by soaring demand and the government's unwavering commitment to its growth through supportive policies. This dynamic shift has propelled India to the forefront of the global aviation ecosystem, becoming the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world.

• The number of operational airports in India in 2014 were 74. By September 2024, the number had increased to 157.
• Over 15% of India’s pilots are women, significantly higher than the global average of 5%.
• Marking a new record, domestic air passenger traffic crossed 5 lakhs for the first time in a single day on November 17, 2024.
• The number of Flying training organisations (FTOs) in June 2016 was 29. This number increased to 38 with 57 bases by December 2024.
• In terms of aircrafts, the numbers have increased from around 400 in 2014 to 723 in 2023, despite the impact of Covid-19.

Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik)

By reviving existing airstrips and airports, UDAN, launched in 2016, aims to bring essential air travel access to previously isolated communities and boost regional economic development. With a ten-year operational plan, UDAN intends to ensure equitable access to air travel for all Indians. As of 31 Dec 2024-

• 147.53 lakh passengers have availed of the benefits of the scheme.
• More than 2.93 lakh flights have operated under the UDAN scheme so far.
• 619 RCS routes have so far commenced operations connecting 88 airports including 13 heliports & 2 water aerodromes.

Shipping and Ports

The Maritime Sector in India comprises of Ports, Shipping, Shipbuilding, Ship repair and Inland Water Transport Systems. In India, there are total 12 government owned major ports and approximately 217 minor and intermediate ports. Indian Shipping Industry has over the years played a crucial role in the maritime sector of India’s economy. Approximately 95% of the country’s trade by volume and 70% by value is moved through Maritime Transport.

 

• Cargo handling capacity has increased from 800.5 million tonnes per annum in 2014 to 1,630 million tonnes per annum in 2024. Vis-à-vis 2014, this is an 87% improvement.
• India has reached 22nd rank in International Shipment category as against 44th rank in 2014.
• Turn Around Time (TRT) of major Ports has reduced from around 94 hours in FY-2013-14 to only around 48.06 hours in FY 2023-24.
• The average ship berth-day output vis-a-vis FY 2014-15 have improved by 52%.
• Tourist footfall in 2022-23 for ocean cruise has risen to 3.08 Lakhs and for light house has risen to 12.3 lakhs compared to the year 2014-15.
• The number of ships/vessels increased from 1,250 in 2014-15 to 1,526 in 2023-24, culminating in a 22% increase.
• Number of employed sea-farers are:



Railways

Indian Railways achieved a historic milestone, transporting over 3 crore passengers in a single day on November 4, 2024. On this day Indian Railways carried a record number of 120.72 lakh non-suburban passengers. This included 19.43 lakh reserved passengers and 101.29 lakh unreserved non-suburban passengers. Similarly, the suburban traffic reached a record 180 lakh passengers, making it the highest single-day passenger figure of the year.

• The manufacturing of Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) coaches has increased from 2,209 coaches in year 2006-2014 to 31,956 coaches in year 2014-2023.
• The provision of Bio-toilets in coaches has been increased from 3,647 coaches in year 2006-2014 to 80,478 coaches in year 2014-2023.
• The Production units of Indian Railways are producing only LHB coaches from April-2018 onwards and trains operated with ICF coaches are being converted so as to run with LHB coaches.
• In 2005-06, 33,540 km and in 2014-15, 41,038 km of running tracks were electrified.
• During 2004-14, 14,985 RKM of rail track work was done whereas during 2014-23, 25,871 RKM of track laying work has been done. In the year 2022-23, per day 14 km track was laid.
• Rail connectivity to four states of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur & Mizoram provided after 2014 (Meghalaya in November 2014, Arunachal Pradesh in February 2015, Manipur (Jiribam) in May 2016 & Mizoram (Bhairabi) in March 2016).
• Before 2014, the number of stations equipped with CCTV surveillance facilities was 123 whereas during 2014-23, CCTVs were installed across 743 railway stations. By December 2024, CCTV coverage was increased to a total of 1051 stations.

 



 

Urban Affairs and Housing

• Under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), total projects are 8,076, amounting to ₹1,64,706 crore, of which 7,401 projects amounting to ₹1,54,351 crore have been completed, as per the data provided by 100 Smart Cities.
• Under Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0, there has been a 97% increase in the urban waste collection from 2014-15 to 2024-25.
• The waste processing percentage has increased from 18% in 2014-15 to 78% in 2024-25.
• During 2004-14, 13.46 lakh houses were approved under schemes like JnNURM & RRY. This increased substantially (9 times) in 2015-2024, when 118.64 lakh houses were approved under PMAY-U.
• During 2004-14, 8.04 lakh houses were built and marking a 11x increase, during 2015-24, 88.32 lakh houses were completed.



 

• The number of buses sanctioned from 2004-2014 were 14,405 and this increased to 19,752 during 2014-24.

AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation)

Launched in 2015, AMRUT aims at ensuring every household has access to a tap with the assured supply of water and a sewerage connection, increasing the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well-maintained open spaces (e.g. parks) and reducing pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. walking and cycling). As of February 1, 2025, there are:



Jal Jeevan Mission

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched on August 15, 2019, with the ambitious goal of providing tap water supply to every rural household. At the time of its inception, only 3.23 crore (17%) of rural households had tap water connections. As of February 1, 2025, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has successfully provided tap water connections to 12.20 crore additional rural households, bringing the total coverage to over 15.44 crore households, which accounts for 79.74% of all rural households in India. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the mission.

A Methodology for Local Accessibility Planning in Indian Cities

Transit Oriented Development Guidance Document

World Cities Report 2024

PROTECTED LAND USE ZONE

 Protected Land Use categorized in to four types.

1) Blue Zone (Water Bodies)

2) Green Zone (Forest)

3) Brown Zone (Hills)

4) Coastal Regulation Zone

Blue Zone (Water Bodies) :

• Water bodies Zone generally indicates all existing water courses, rivers, canals, lakes, tanks and kuntas as indicated in the topographical sheets published by the Survey of India/Revenue records/Irrigation department/or other competent authorities. 
• The boundary of the water bodies relates to the Full tank Level as indicated in relevant maps, covering both perennial and non-perennial parts when such distinction exists. In water Body Zone no construction is permitted in the water-spread. 
• The only exception is fishing, boating, and picnics along the banks. The only construction allowed is open to sky jetties for boating, house boats, and platforms for fishing and rain shelters’ and snack bars each not exceeding 100 sq.m in area and tourist amenities. 

Green Zone (Forest): 

No development permission shall be allowed except Agriculture, Horticulture and forestry use in BioConservation Zone / Eco-Sensitive Zone / Reserved Forest as notified by the Govt. 

•  Parks 
•  Botanical gardens 
•  Picnic spots 
•  Public utilities 
•  Electrical sub stations 

Microwave radar/cell phones tower/T.V. tower and station are permitted in the zone subject to obtain NoC/ Clearance from the concerned Dept.

Brown Zone (Hills):

•  No physical development of any sort to be permitted in this zone. 
•  Further there shall be no development within 12 m distance from the boundary. 
•  Form based regulations will prevail for hills within Bhogapuram airport and influence area zone.

Coastal Regulation Zone :

The CRZ rules and regulations issued by the MoEF, CPCB and APPCB shall be followed from time to time.

Handbook on Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Energy Conservation & Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC) - (Commercial and Office Buildings)

Building Code for Residential Buildings

Regional Planning

Regional Planning is an organized and deliberate practice of development of a region or maybe regions, brings out the improvement potentialities of each region,as well as, taking into account the limits of both material and human information within each region, suggests techniques for the development of theirs, so that the State as anentire could achieve a better level of economic well-being.

The primary goal behind regional planning is bringing about the improvement of the region in a planned and systematic fashion.

Regional planning is a proactive approach that aims to plan a sustainable future for regions by considering various aspects such as the natural environment, land use, and natural resources.

It involves spatial analysis, demographic assessment, economic assessment, and infrastructure planning to ensure well-managed and balanced development.

Collaboration with the local community and establishing strong governance structures are essential for successful regional planning. Key components of regional planning include spatial analysis, demographic understanding, economic assessment, infrastructure planning, and land use planning.

Regional planning aims to strike a balance between development and environmental conservation, promote efficient transportation networks, ensure social equity, and engage the community in the planning process.

Urban Heat Island Effect

 

Andhra Pradesh Final Standardized Development and Building Regulations

Streets for People - Pathways of Change from India's Smart Cities

Town Planning

City Beauty Competition Guidelines

The Challenge of Implementing GIS - Based Master Plans

Over 200 Class-I cities in India, including Shimla and Imphal, have recently notifi ed Geographic Information System (GIS)-based master plans as part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) mission.

 The Supreme Court’s approval of the Shimla Development Plan, after 44 years, and Manipur’s notifi cation of a fl ood-prone capital city plan marked signifi cant milestones. 

 These initiatives are part of the larger AMRUT mission, initially launched in 2015 and relaunched in 2021, aiming to have over 1,000 cities with GISbased master plans. 

Signifi cance of GIS-Based Master Plans: 

 GIS-based master plans involve mapping the entire existing infrastructure, providing a comprehensive vision for a city’s development over the next two decades. 

 It includes regulations for land use, building construction, transport, green spaces, and economic development. 

Challenges in Master Plan Implementation: 

 Urban development experts argue that master plans, despite being critical, often remain unimplemented, leading to unauthorized development in cities. 

 The rapid urbanization and poor enforcement of these plans have contributed to issues like unregulated construction and environmental concerns.

Unregulated Development and Climate Impact: 

 The absence of master plans in 65% of urban settlements, as highlighted by NITI Aayog, leads to piecemeal interventions, haphazard constructions, and environmental pollution. 

 This is particularly signifi cant in hill states like Himachal, prone to fl ash fl oods and landslides.

AMRUT’s Role in Addressing Challenges: 

 AMRUT’s sub-scheme focuses on using technology to prepare master plans, utilizing GIS data to address challenges arising from urbanization and climate change. 

 The baseline maps, created using satellite imagery or drones, form the foundation for future plans related to transportation, economic activities, and social infrastructure.

The Implementation Challenge: 

 While the emphasis is on planning for the next two decades, experts stress that the real challenge lies in implementation and having an enforceable legal framework. 

 The lack of strict enforcement and accountability has hindered the success of master plans in many cities. 

Incentives and Recruitment Drive: 

 Approximately 1500 Class-I towns have only around 10% with valid master plans. 

 However, with the central government providing incentives and focusing on recruiting urban planners, there is a positive shift. 

 Cities are now receiving funds as incentives for preparing master plans, marking progress on the ground. 

 While GIS-based master plans represent a crucial step toward planned urban development, the success hinges on effective implementation and a robust legal framework. The current momentum, driven by incentives and recruitment initiatives, offers hope for more cities to adopt and enforce comprehensive master plans. 

Key Points:

1. Master Plan Significance: A master plan is a critical vision document outlining a city’s development for the next two decades, including regulations on land use, building construction, transport, green spaces, and economic development.
2. Historical Gap: Urban development experts note that master plans have often remained theoretical, leading to unauthorized development due to rapid urbanization and poor implementation.
3. Environmental Concerns: The urgency of these plans is underscored by environmental challenges, such as the frequent flash floods and landslides in hill states like Himachal Pradesh.

Benefits of Town Planning

Town planning has gained a lot of importance today. New towns are being developed. It has become very important for the town planners to concentrate on old development as well as the new development. It is essential that old and new development are linked properly. Energy efficiency in planning should be the goal of any town planner, urban designer or an architect. The aims of town planning are as follows.

1. To correct the past errors as far as possible.
2. To provide civic aesthetics of the town.
3. To attempt an orderly appropriate and balanced arrangements of land use.
4. To develop healthy, attractive and efficient environment in the city.
5. To promote a high level of culture.
6. To create and maintain an attractive central core and make it the cultural, financial, commercial and entertainment centre.
7. To provide an interrelated balanced transportation system adequate to meet the needs of everyone in the urban community.
8. To encourage the attraction, retention and expansion of a sufficient number and variety of industries and business activities to provide jobs to the people and to get more income to municipality.
9. To create a sense of dignity, identity, pride and responsibility in the social environment.
10. To suggest the schemes which will control the future growth and development of the city.
11. To insure against the possible future errors.
12. To concentrate for development of full potentials of human resources through wide variety of programmes, facilities and other incentives.
13. To establish and maintain a consistent housing policy providing for decent housing open to all persons in the community at reasonable prices and rents.
14. To encourage vigorous programmes of inspection, maintenance of health environment in the city.
15. Suggestions will be given to provide maximum housing facilities as per the income through various concerned authorities.
16. To encourage the development of neighbourhoods as social and recreational units and promote the neighbourhood organizations and involvement in the improvement of local services, facilities, transportation and living conditions.
17. Suggestions will be made for efficient transportation facilities in the city including new roads, widening the roads repairing maintenance depending upon the localities and functional zones.
18. To develop parks and recreation facilities to optimum standards based on local needs preserving as many sites of natural and historical significance as possible.
19. To provide maximum educational and medical facilities.
20. To provide maximum utility service facilities to reach all people of the city.
21. To promote maximum co-operation between Government and public to get the benefits of development schemes of urban development.
22. To implement effective measure of slum clearance programmes in the city and controlling the further development of slum in the city.
23. Suggestions will be made to demolish old structures of public and private houses.
24. To suggest relocation, redevelopment and renewal of structure in the city.
25. To create maximum green and open spaces in the urban limit.
26. Measures will be suggested to control the pollution of air, water, noise etc.
27. Improvement and modernization of water supply, sewerage, electricity etc.
28. Improvement of site development for residential industrial, public and semi-public use.

Origin and Growth of Town

Origin of Towns: Topographical Features

If a survey is carried out regarding the origin of some of the important existing towns and cities of the world, it can be easily established that any town or city has originated because of certain specific cause. The origin of towns can be broadly classified into two categories, namely, topographical and functional. The topographical features of origin of towns are as follows.

1. Conditions favorable for industrial units
2. Hilly areas to achieve the objects of defense
3. Plain areas useful for business activities
4. River banks
5. Sea or ocean fronts

The functional aspects of origin of towns are as follows.

1. Education
2. Health resorts
3. Political
4. Community

Growth of Town

The towns grow during passage of time in number of ways and various forces which contribute to the overall development of a town are transportation facilities, industries, safety for public, proximity of agricultural lands, availability of electric power, political importance, etc. Some of the reasons why the people would like to stay in urban areas can be enumerated as follows.

• It is quite likely that people have often found to stay in groups or societies to safeguard themselves from dangers of theft.
• The humans by nature are social animal and they get much satisfaction of living their life in the company of friends and community.
• An urban man can develop contacts and make friends with like-minded people having common interest.
• The urban dwellers can maintain a very high degree of privacy.
• The urban are provide with reliable water supply, good market for business, large amount of opportunities to succeed, etc.

Also the facilities of transport and communication increase the population and leads to the growth of towns. The means of transport may take up the following forms.

• Aerial ports : In some cases, the airports plays an important role in the growth of a town.
• Railways : If the town is connected with railways, there will be increase of passengers and goods traffic even from long distances.
• Roadways : The neighbouring area is connected with the town and it leads to overall expansion of trade and industry.
• Waterways : If facilities of waterways are available, the town can grow as a harbour with possibility of foreign trade and business.

The above mentioned means of transport have led to the horizontal growth of town. But the availability of mechanical lifts, escalators and elevators has made it possible to have vertical growth of town in the form of skyscrapers.

 Types of Growth of Towns

Types of Growth of Town

The growth of towns and cities can be studied in the following two ways.

I) Growth according to origin

II) Growth according to direction

1) Growth According to Origin

The growth of towns and cities according to the origin can be divided in two categories.

A) Natural Growth

Most of the towns in the past have grown in a natural way, that is, the development of the town as such has taken place without any future planning. The provisions of various essential amenities such as road system, parks, playgrounds, schools, industrial units, commercial centres, hospitals, cinemas, etc., are made in an irregular way without consideration for future expansion of the town. The natural growth of a town may be in the form of following four types.

a) Concentric spread

b) Ribbon development

c) Satellite growth

d) Scattered growth

a) Concentric Spread

• It is the natural tendency of the people to be as near as possible to town or city, therefore the town develops in form of concentric rings with nucleus as town.
• These type of growth create many complicated problems such as traffic congestion, narrow streets,concentration of population, improper housing, etc.
• The town growth is represented by a series of concentric circles or rings.
• The first zone represents central business like commercial and social life of the town.
• The second zone represents low-income housing, better-class residences and high-class residences are subsequently formed.
• The idea of concentric spread is based on the fact that similar or functionally related activities will be located at the same distance from the centre of an urban area.

 Concentric Spread

b) Ribbon Development

• It has been observed that because of improvement of road surface and growth of motor traffic, everyone build or occupy the places as near as possible to the main road.
• The building activity therefore expands in a natural way along the sides of main road and long fingers or ribbons of houses, factories, shops, etc., develop as shown in figure below.

 Ribbon Development

Disadvantages

• As houses extend in a long strip or ribbon, there is increase in cost of utility services such as water supply and electricity, postal deliveries, etc.
• It results into wastage of available resources.
• It lacks social life as ribbon development causes scatter of community.
• The future improvement becomes costly and difficult, in some place it becomes impossible.
• The interior place are left undeveloped which results in wastage of valuable land.
• It causes accidents and traffic delays (jams) due to pedestrians on the main road.
• The traffic capacity and efficiency of main road are reduced.
• The ribbon development spoils the countryside view as it becomes non-visible at least for road users.
• The problem of ribbon development is complex involving social-economic, political, technical and legal measures for its solution.

c) Satellite Growth

When a town reaches a certain size, satellite growth is bound to take place. The satellite town is mainly due to the metropolis and it indicate a body under the influence of a more powerful body but possessing its own identity. Development of satellite towns around the parent city is shown in the figure below.

 Satellite Growth

The features of a satellite town are as follows.

• It has its own local government and corporate life.
• It is a town in the full sense but it depends to a certain extent upon a nearby large town or city.
• It is connected to the parent city by local trains, buses, etc. in such a way the people can reach to the parent city easily.
• It is free to decide its economic, social and cultural activities.
• It is generally situated beyond the green belt of the parent city.
• It is mainly residential area having only local shops, schools for children, etc.
• No industries are permitted, the people will have to depend on the parent city for employment opportunities.
• It is neither a village nor a suburb.
• It need not have zoning regulations.
• Its size and development are controlled in such a way that it does not affect the parent town in future.
• The satellite may even be considered to be the part of market for some goods and services from the parent town.
• The workers living in particular satellite may belong to the labour force of a certain industry. It gives a wider choice to the employers of such industries for finding the best man for the job.

Disadvantages

• The main disadvantage of satellite growth is the necessity of the long journey to work. (It may be long journey in distance does not necessarily mean a long journey in time due to efficient modes of transport and traffic).
• Satellite growth may be deprived of entertainment and cultural activity.
• It is responsible for preventing the development of a community spirit.
• Lack of community centres and halls.

d) Scattered Growth

• The growth of the town takes place in very irregular way.
• It results in traffic congestion.
• Encroachment of industries on residential areas.
• Development of slums.
• Lack of parks and various other problems which prove to be too difficult to be solved in future.

B) Planned Growth

In case of a planned growth, a town develops in a pre-determined line as conceived by the town planner. The overall growth of the town is controlled by the enforcement of suitable rules and regulations. There is rational distribution of various blocks such as residential, industrial, commercial, etc.

The provision of various amenities such as widths of streets, drainage lines, water supply lines, parks, playgrounds, etc. is made to meet with the future requirements. The modern concepts of town planning can very well be seen and appreciated in some of the recent new towns in many parts of the world.

2) Growth According to Direction

With respect to direction, the growth of towns and cities can take place in the following two ways.

1. Horizontal Growth

The town expands and develops horizontally in all directions. It is clear that such a growth will be possible at places where land is available in plenty at nominal cost.

Advantages

• In general, there will be saving in cost as the buildings will usually consist of two or three floors.
• It does not require the service of high technical personnel.
• Maximum possible use of the natural light in the buildings.
• The density of the population can be restricted.
• There is economy of floor space as the provision of columns, lifts, etc. will not be required.
• The surrounding marginal space can be utilized for developing gardens.

Disadvantages

• It uses more land and hence, it will prove to be uneconomical where the land value are very high.
• The foundation cost per unit area will be more.
• There will be absence of group living.

2. Vertical Growth

The buildings of the town are designed and developed as multistoried flats. It is quite evident that such a growth will be possible at places where land is costly.

Advantages

• A sense of group living and unity develops as many families live in same building.
• The foundation cost will be distributed between all the floors, therefore the foundation cost per unit area will be in the reasonable limit.
• For floor above certain height, the natural sceneries such as sea view, river view, etc. can be enjoyed in a better way.
• It will be possible to make maximum use of the modern technology such as fire-proofing, sound-proofing, heat insulation, air-conditioning, high speed elevators, etc.
• There will be considerable saving in land and hence, it will prove to be economical where land values are very high.
• There will be economy in construction cost as the buildings will be designed as framed structures with repetition of a typical floor plan at each floor level.

Disadvantages

• In case of natural calamities such as earthquakes or fire, it will be difficult for the inhabitants (dwellers) of the upper floors to escape safely.
• The density of population will be more.
• The design of flats will be stereo-typed and there is no scope for personal likes or dislikes.
• The evils of group living will have to be tolerated.
• The failure of lift, pumps, etc. will cause great inconvenience.
• The people staying at upper floors will be deprived of natural living near the ground level.
• There will be some wastage of floor space as lifts, supporting columns, etc. will have to be provided.