Given below are Assertion and Reason. Read them carefully and choose the correct answer with the help of given options.
Assertion (A): Town planning in London emerged from fears of social revolution.
Reason (R): Town planning in Bombay came about as a result of fears about the plague epidemic.

Correct option is A

Correct Answer: (A) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation:
→ Statement (A) is true: Town planning in London during the 19th century was partly driven by fears of social unrest and revolution. As industrialization led to overcrowding, poor living conditions, and rising inequality, the British authorities were concerned that the social unrest could lead to revolution, much like the French Revolution of 1789. This prompted efforts to improve urban conditions to prevent potential social revolutions.
→ Statement (R) is true: Town planning in Bombay (now Mumbai) was significantly influenced by the fears surrounding the plague epidemic, which became a major issue in the late 19th century. The plague outbreak in the 1890s led to widespread death and panic, prompting British authorities to implement reforms to improve public health and urban planning, including better sanitation and housing.
→ However, (R) is not the correct explanation of (A). The reason for town planning in London was primarily driven by concerns about social unrest and revolution, whereas in Bombay, the impetus for town planning was more directly related to disease control, specifically the plague, rather than fears of social revolution.
Information Booster:
→ In London, the fears of revolution, particularly after events like the French Revolution, led to increased attention on improving urban infrastructure to address social problems like poverty, overcrowding, and disease.
→ The Industrial Revolution played a major role in these urban issues, as people flocked to cities for work, leading to the development of slums and unsanitary living conditions.
→ In response, town planning in London sought to create more orderly and healthy urban spaces, with improved sanitation and housing conditions.
→ In Bombay, the 1896-97 plague epidemic caused high mortality and highlighted the inadequacies of the urban environment, leading to significant changes in town planning, with a focus on better sanitation, drainage, and housing.
→ Both cities responded to public health crises, but London's concern was more about political stability, while Bombay's focus was on health and preventing disease outbreaks.
→ Urban planning efforts in both cities were essential in shaping modern city layouts, contributing to better public health and social order.