GE-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT RESEARCH VOLUME -2, ISSUE -6 (JUNE, 2014) IF-3.142 ISSN: (2321-1709) A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International e-Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories. GE- International Journal of Management Research (GE-IJMR) Website: www.aarf.asia . Email: editoraarf@gmail.com , editor@aarf.asia Page 91 ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF MIRZAPUR CITY, U.P., INDIA Dr. Akhilendra Nath Tiwary Senior Lecturer and Head, Department of Geography, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Yobe, Nigeria. ABSTRACT Urban Planning involves objective or target based process adopted for sustainable urban development. It involves analyzing and predicting the urban environment quantitatively and qualitatively to identify and evaluate alternative policy options leading to a beautiful urban living environment. The quantitative increase in the number of urban centers and populations do not suffice the goal of planning. In India, there is marked increase in the number of cities and the urban population, but in reference to the quality of urban life, it puts a big question mark. When sustainability in terms of good living environment comes, many serious questions arise with no responsible agency or authority to answer. Presently there are 7,935 cities and towns in India [Census, 2011], which have increased by 2,774 in number since last decadal census of 2001. The total urban population in the country as per Census 2011 is more than 377 million constituting 31.16% [27.8% in Census, 2001] of the total population with 53 Million Cities [35 in census, 2001]. The living environment of Indian cities is dwindling fast owing to inefficient land use, increasing number of automobiles, heavy pollution, mismanaged waste disposal, poor quality of housing, water, sanitation, hygiene etc. Detachment of local community in urban development has made the issues worse. The present case study is based on Mirzapur city (25º 11´15´´- 25º7´15´´N and 82º 30´E – 82º 36´ 30´´E) situated on the southern bank of the Ganges river in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. It is a small Indian city [Area: 38.85 Sq. km and Population: 233,691 (Census of India, 2011)] which despite its urban status since more than a century and being district headquarter, is showing no significant change in sustainable living environment of the city. It has almost all the resources required for the sustainable urban development. The beautiful city is in a very sorry state owing to negligence of local people in planning and a very strong nexus of corrupt politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats at the top. The secular culture