Spatial dimensions of urban quality of life in the mining cities of eastern India

Urban quality of life (UQoL) is an important measure of the social, economic, and infrastructural conditions of city residents. The concept encompasses a number of aspects, including demographic conditions, the quality of housing, access to essential services, and the presence of modern household assets. This study presents a comprehensive ward-level analysis of UQoL across the Asansol Municipal Corporation, formed by the merger of Asansol, Jamuria, Kulti, and Raniganj municipalities, to identify spatial disparities and their underlying factors. A total of 25 indicators were selected from the Census of India (2011), categorized into four broad domains. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed for data reduction and index construction, supported by a Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) value exceeding 0.70 across all municipalities, with Bartlett’s test of sphericity showing significance at p < 0.000. Spatial clustering was analyzed using Moran’s I and LISA (local indicators of spatial association). Moran’s I values indicated varying degrees of spatial autocorrelation across the four municipalities: Asansol (0.343), Jamuria (0.049), Kulti (0.248), and Raniganj (0.251). The findings show that wards located closer to main commercial areas achieve a higher UQoL score based on infrastructure, service availability, and asset ownership, while wards located in peripheral and industrial locations have a lower status. These spatial disparities reflect the uneven public investment. Therefore, this study highlights the need for targeted policies that promote equitable infrastructure distribution, enhanced service access, and participatory planning. Beyond its relevance for Asansol’s urban development, the study offers valuable insights for managing socio-spatial inequalities in other mid-sized, mining cities in India. Words in central Asansol show high UQoL; peripheral zones face poor services and deprivation. Spatial autocorrelation is strongest in Asansol, confirming clustered inequality patterns. Asset ownership and female workforce participation strongly influence UQoL outcomes. The post-2015 merger failed to resolve spatial inequality in service and infrastructure access. Policy focus should prioritize sanitation, housing, and women’s literacy for UQoL improvement.