Magnetism in India’s Metros: A Study on Migrants’ Choice of Destination

Abstract

A significant feature of the third world urbanisations, including India, is that most of the population is concentrated in few big cities and metropolitan areas. The article attempts to categorise the four top Indian metro cities in terms of their stage of growth, assess the components of population growth and summarise the migration dynamics in terms of the migrants’ choice of destination. The cores of the metropolitan areas have more population concentration than the peripheral zones. In all the four metropolitan cities, population growth rate is decelerating and, in some cases, it is even found to be negative. City cores are experiencing huge flow of out-migration and are growing mainly because of the natural increase. A significant feature characterising all the four top metros is that majority of the migratory movement (both in-migration and out-migration) has taken place in short distances mostly to and from the adjoining districts of the urban agglomeration (UA). It has emerged that the four cities in recent years have witnessed a higher volume and rate of population growth towards the periphery. Delhi and Mumbai have been more preferred destination of migration than Kolkata and Chennai and their vibrancy is reflected in the higher degree of alluring and fusing capacity to the in-migrating population.