Final answer:
Deurbanisation in India has been significant in Eastern regions due to economic stagnation, contrasted by growth in Western and Southern regions which favor technology and global trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
Deurbanisation occurred particularly in the heart of Eastern India. This region has not kept pace with the economic growth witnessed in parts of Western and Southern India, leading to a decline in its urban centers.
An explanation for this deurbanisation can be attributed to the deterioration of once-thriving industrial cities like Kolkata, which has seen its factories fall into disuse, symbolizing a movement towards a 'rustbelt' status with aging and outdated heavy industries. The labor-intensive activities of textile and domestic goods, which were once the backbone of this region's economy, have become less economically viable. In contrast, other regions such as Mumbai in the West and Bangalore in the South have become economic powerhouses, with thriving high-tech industries and stronger connections to global markets.
Moreover, India's cities are witnessing a dynamic transformation with an expanding middle class driven mainly by the IT and outsourcing sectors. Yet, the challenges of unsustainable urban growth, marked by congestion and infrastructural strain, are also emerging as critical issues for urban planners and policymakers. These factors collectively contribute to the patterns of deurbanisation, with a shift of economic predominance to more prosperous regions.