Pune people-centric

Pune has the right population to support urban activities. According to the book ''Time Saver Standards for Housing and Residential Development'' published by McGraw Hill the certain urban facilities are viable only if there is a certain population.
For instance, only a city with population ranging from 250,000 to 100,000 could afford schooling for 50,000, junior colleges for 100,000, universities for 500,000, and other educational institutions for 400,000 students is possible in addition to day-care centres children''s play spaces, elementary schools, middle schools, Library and educational resources centre, high school and vocational college among others.
Pune is adequately populated to afford all these easily as it is the eighth most populous city. For instance it can afford upto a 450 bed hospital, heavy industry for 50,000,industrial park for 100,000,dispersed employment facilities for 100,000.
In terms of urban population, Maharashtra was 42.4 million and was second only to Tamil Nadu and grew more than by 10 million in two decades. Pune is the eighth most populous city in the country.
Also, figures compiled by the National Institute of Urban Affairs show settlement is at a higher rate in urban Maharashtra as compared to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.This trend was seen as early as a decade back.The number of homes owned by urbanites in Maharashtra was 53.8 per cent and hired were 37.4 per cent. AP was close on its heels with 54.3 per cent and 40.8 per cent, Karnataka it was only 48.10 per cent and 46.40 per cent, respectively. If one has to go by the adage ''Slums are a measure of development'' then most of our cities are developing at a fast rate. But Pune is on the lead.
Although slums are not desirable it is true that greater the rate of development more is the transient population of labourers giving rise to slums.
Pune has nearly half the population of Hyderabad and Bangalore, but the percentage of people living in slums here is 16.30 per cent as compared to 12.5 per cent in Bangalore, 19.8 per cent in Hyderabad and is just over 10 per cent in Chandigarh.From this perspective the labour situation in Pune is better than its south Indian counterparts according to 2001 census.
Given Pune''s population it can very well support aregional shopping centre catering to at least 150,000 people''s needs. Pune is providing much more than this through its traditional regional markets of various kinds spread in Mandai,Market Yard and Shivaji Market where buyers from neighbouring areas come for shopping.