Providing for the multiple and varying needs of today’s growing populations in the metropolises is an important form of commercial activity which entails a great deal of organization based on the twin factors of demand and supply. The study of intracity urban commercial centres has not so far attracted the attention of urban geographers in this country very much. In general such centres have been a part of urban landuse studies or that of market towns. In a developing country like India where urbanization is fast transforming the face of the countryside, this particular aspect of growth needs to be studied with greater emphasis on its structure and functions. A valuable addition to the specialised subject of market geography, Dr. Sami’s work focuses on the city of Patna and attempts to identify and study the character and distribution of various retail complexes in the light of scientific criteria. The hierarchy of retail nucleation has been determined in the analysis of functional structure, physical conditions and land values at different levels of markets. Core and threshold functions have also been identified. Finally, the relationship between population and commercial activities has been closely examined. Statistical analysis, quantitative methods and modern cartographic techniques have been brought to bear on this excellent study thereby enhancing the validity of its findings and conclusions. A pioneering study in the field of intra urban market geography, this is bound to have wider implications as its findings can prove significant and extremely relevant for town and country planning in India and other developing countries.
