Town Planning of Harappa

Town Planning of Harappa

The Main Features of the Indus Valley Civilization
Urban Organization-Town planning

The Indus Valley people (or the Harappan people) were primarily urban people. They lived in well-planned towns and look great care to look after their property. The cities grew up according to a set scheme. The roads and streets were very ride. The width of the streets varied from 3 meters to 4 metres. The roads were 4 metres to 10 metres wide. All the streets and roads ran from north to south and from east to west so that they could be cleaned automatically by the prevailing winds. Building were not allowed to encroach upon the public highways. In fact, Indus Valley people had developed a keen civic sense and they fully obeyed the civic authority.

The Drainage System

The Indus Valley people had a high sense of health and sanitation and they possessed an elaborate drainage system. Each house had its own small drains which were directly connected with the street drain which ran under the main streets and below many lanes.Each house had its own soak-pit and water flowed from the sink into the underground sewers in the streets. They were covered with bricks and stones. There were manholes at regular intervals for inspection. People did not throw ash and other refuse in the drain. All this shows that the drains were constructed on scientific lines and their drainage system was in no way inferior to the underground drainage system of the modern times.