Displacement in Madurai in the name of urbanisation

The displacement was initiated by the Madurai Municipal Corporation in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board with the objective of making Madurai ‘slum-free.’

July 28, 2014 10:08 am | Updated 10:32 am IST - MADURAI

With rapid urbanisation resulting in displacement of communities living on the fringes, the relocation of such groups in the name of development is affecting the balance and harmony in society. A classic example is the group of displaced people who live at Rajakoor, far removed from the city. These people have been shifted from the various city slums, and deprived of urban privileges enjoyed till recently.

The displacement was initiated by the Madurai Municipal Corporation in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) from along the Kiruthumal channel and other places with the objective of making Madurai ‘slum-free.’

Multi-storied apartments were constructed at Rajakoor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to house people inhabiting slums put up on objectionable poromboke land. However, it has had a negative impact on the lives of more than 500 families from over 10 localities spread across the city.

Alienated Residents complain that the eviction has alienated them from their sources of livelihood.

Standing in a crowd of about 30 tenement residents in Rajakoor, 45 year-old Vairam accuses the government of pushing them out of their homes. “I used to lead a decent living by selling vegetables, although my family was living in a slum. Now, we have to commute to Therkkuvasal (South Gate) to continue with our jobs and take our children to school. The nearly two-hour bus commute becomes problematic since we also have other household commitments. Thus, some of us are left jobless at home. And the men do odd jobs. The income that we earn is very low, but we are left with no choice,” she adds.

No visit from relatives Another resident, Selvaraj, interrupts Vairam to say that his relatives neither visit them nor invite the family to get-togethers or functions any more. “Earlier, our presence was sought for every ceremony. But ever since we moved here, people have forgotten us,” he rues. He is one of the many who have been shifted from localities such as South Gate, Keeraithurai, Tallakulam and Ellis Nagar.

A kilometre down the road at the block for families from Ellis Nagar, the same sentiment is expressed. “For over two years now, I have been travelling almost 20 km every day on crowded buses to get to my school in Nelpettai,” says V. Priya. “The bus that passes through our village is packed to capacity most of the time and students are coerced to take an autorickshaw to reach the school on time.”

The geographic shift of the families renders the displaced people jobless and compels them to look out for jobs afresh. Although there are many skilled people, being slum dwellers, they do not get jobs and there are hardly any industrial or business establishment in the vicinity to offer employment. Those who come to the city for employment have to spend at least Rs.15 for a single journey. If they miss the Rajakkoor bus, they are forced to break journey at two places to reach Madurai after spending more money. Their wages remain the same while the cost of transportation has gone up.

Women complain that they are unable to find work as domestic help since it is difficult for them to reach the city or return home on time. The other problem of displacement is absence of homogeneity. Since the residents are from different localities, they still live as isolated groups. This is in contrast to their city life, where they felt “at home.” Absence of kinship is visible and families live in virtual isolation. The pangs of separation from their roots are tangible and it might take many years for them to come to terms with displacement.

Rehabilitation The government in neighbouring Karnataka has a well-defined law for rehabilitation. It states that displaced people must be provided with housing near their workplace. But, in Tamil Nadu, the legislation does not provide scope for adequate rehabilitation of slum dwellers, says T. Lajapathi Roy, senior advocate, Madras High Court.

A senior TNSCB official says, “The residents have been provided with grocery shops, ration shop, drinking water and storm water drainage, along with bus facility. We have also appointed residents in each block to look after the sanitation. Soon steps will be taken to set up a police check-post to curb incidents of crime in the locality.”

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