[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Architecture and art](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art) › [Town Planning in Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925) › c8.125 # Town Planning in Ancient India c8.125 Town Planning in Ancient India c8.125 - **Language:** English ### [c8.125](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8.125) The town-planners will certainly fail in their duty, if they narrow down their attention only to the construction of the city without any regard for the best arteries of its communication with the outer world. They have to mark carefully the lines of traffic flowing into the city, or the most direct thoroughfares connecting the city with the busiest and thickly populated portions of the outlying country. The above object was attained by the Indo-Aryan town-planners in many ways. First they chose the site of the capital in the centre of the kingdom. If the kingdom was divided into provinces, and the provinces into districts which consisted of some villages, it was the concern of the town-planners how to select a place in the centre of the district or province, yet on the bank of a navigable river, near the sea-shores so that water communication could be easily availed of. Indeed almost all the Indo-Aryan towns were situated on river banks or sea-shores. The author of the Sukranītisāra would not only make arrangements for these arteries of communication, but would ensure their security and protection: "Communication between the Pura and the Janapada has to be maintained by well built roads and these should be protected for the comfort and convenience of travellers. Those who molest the travellers have accordingly to be firmly put down."¹ "The village police, for instance, will have to visit the rural lanes every 'yāma' (or one hour and a half) at night."² And in order that the road may be safe, it is suggested also that "the sentinel should examine every egress out of and entry into a village."³ The condition of the roads must not be neglected. Annual repairs had to be undertaken. There were series of inns or serais on the roads going from the country to the city. The open highway leading from one town to another was hundred and twenty cubits wide, while the roads connecting villages were eighty cubits wide.⁴ - [Previous: c8.124](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8.124) - [Next: c8.126](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8.126) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8.125](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.dutt-1925.c8.125) · Pramāṇa