Rapid urbanisation led by expanding cities might have done well in terms of economic growth, but it has significantly fallen short in terms of addressing the needs of the poor. It is disquieting to note that informal settlements occupy one-third of the area in large urban centres such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai and the population living in urban slums is set to climb steeply to reach about 105 million in another five years — a 40 per cent increase over the 2001 level. Against this background, the recent ‘Delhi Declaration,’ a resolution drafted at the end of the international conference on Inclusive Urban Planning, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in partnership with the World Bank and UNDP, offers hope but also raises doubts. Hope is in the form of the expert group’s affirmation that the urban poor would be recognised as important stakeholders and included in the process of urban planning. This decision gives reason to believe the spatial marginalisation caused by the current form of urban planning, and the suffering it inflicts on vulnerable groups, would end. However, doubts arise because promises made in the past, such as making Indian cities slum free by 2014, have been way off mark.
Slums proliferate because cities are either too slow to respond to the needs of the poor or ignore the inequalities the housing deficit creates. Unfortunately, these informal settlements neither get government recognition nor figure in development schemes. As a result, city Master Plans focus on ‘legitimate areas’, leaving slums to languish as spatial black holes without adequate urban services. Their vulnerability multiplies as their potential property value increases due to location. As a first step, taking a cue from countries like Brazil which have experience in slum upgradation, municipal governments should recognise informal settlements as special zones of social interest. This would provide much-needed legal protection, prevent forced eviction and stop deterioration of living conditions. Development plans can follow and integrate these informal areas with the mainstream planning process. When critical slum upgradation programmes such as the Dharavi redevelopment project, announced more than two decades ago, remain non-starters, they erode the credibility of the government. The inexplicable delays also raise the question of whether slum redevelopment is a means to exploit the real estate value. Only a participatory and transparent process — and the timely completion of such projects — will reassure the poor that the government is committed to developing inclusive cities.
Keywords: urban slums, illegal settlements, urban planning, slum upgradation programmes, Delhi slums
Slum making is big racket politicians organise keeping 2 things in mind. First, cost of real estate will escalate like you pointed out in Dharavi case. Second major vested interest is that the slum dwellers become a big vote bank for these politicians whether left or right and they are supported directly or indirectly. As a result slums become an integral part of urban malady.
1.Urban areas as seen in India have not been able to be planned
properly, even if planned only in terms of structures have not been
able to support the needy in an empowering manner.
2.Most urban afflictions are turning out to be dangerous than the rural
counterparts because the rural problems have at least existed for some
time and hence have some solution at hand and the scale is also low
village wise to be handled.
3.Urban problems are not only of unhealthy living for many, but also
its sustainability over a period of time affecting the rural existence
in terms of the resources in there.
4.Mindless urban growth has left a large hungry urban populations which
knows nothing but a commercial large scale exploit-ability of a
village/common resource which are already scarce.
5.Growth of small manageable ethical and morally oriented
communities(self sustaining) whether urban or within villages is a more
sustainable way of living and let living others.
6.Technology can only aid for it.
The writer has brought a very important issue of urbanization to our
notice citing the very slow functioning of the development projects
meant for the upliftment of the poor living in the slums with a
deteriorated economical condition. With unending widening of the
cities, the woos of the poor living in these areas are increasing with
great pace.The schemes, most of the time prove ineffective to meet
the demands of the poor, are introduced in many cities with hope to
develop the slums in the close vicinity but the result most of the
time fail to come with flying color. The slum dwellers didn't get much
benefited from the previous development schemes as the schemes meant
for them were invested in some
housing plans which furthered the problems of the poor making
thousands destitute.
The idea of the slum free India by 2014 seems, seeing the pace of the
urban development plan, a cry for the moon.This feat can be achieved
if the problems are solved from the very grass root level.
Indian cities are the worst in the world. While metros like Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai are over
crowded, over burdened, polluted, filthy, noisy, and unlivable, second tier cities like Kanpur,
Varanasi, Coimbatore are simply full of filth, chaos and disorder with no safety for the
residents. The problem with each city in India is same: lack of vision of city development,
lack of supportable economic activity, collapsed civic bodies, massive corruption and lack of
civic sense among people. I am not too sure if we will ever improve as population and
migration to the cities is only increasing. God save this country if there is one.
The conventional code of conduct of the cities is that they take all
and give slums to footloose migrants. With cost of living rising every
month in city,even Rs.10,000/-per month as minimum wage today is less
in cities for footloose migrants to keep the market supporters alert
for a safe City.It is time for India and the ministers to stop running
away from re framing a national Work format from top to bottom
designed to have links with productivity and accountability and code
of conduct for all stakeholders.Without a clear wealth distribution
code you cannot build inclusivecity
The slums also have a very poor level of hygiene. This in turn poses a
risk for contradicting a large number of infectious diseases and it puts
further burden on our crippled health system.
Life of the Urban poor is more miserable when compared to poor in rural areas.They are exposed to every aspect of climate(pollution,rain,sun etc.,) but not experiencing any aspect of urban services[not luxuries only livelihood].Urban Development needed to be more inclusive.How about bringing them under IAY[Indira Aawas Yojana] and MGNREGA.
In addition to what has been discussed above, slum areas are also pose a challenge for the police in crime patrol. Also, as the "slum" areas are mostly "unofficial" residential areas, these are totally unplanned.
Also, because of a large amount of immigrant population, they pose political challenges also.
In fact, due to large scale migration of people from rural areas to urban areas, residential avenues for the immigrants is still non-existent. Due to boom in real-estate properties, and the consequent price rise associated, these only add to the complexity of the problem.
Dear Sir,
SEZs could be a vista for inclusive development and FDI could
the exclusive blind spot waiting to be realized.
Slum redevelopment is a euphemism fo real estate bonanza. The Dharavi case you refer to above has stalled because those who sponsored it wants to grab the precious space for real estate development little worried about the continued living and prospering of the Dharavi residents. Even as you recognize the rights of the people to move about anywhere in the Indian Union there is need for allround development work of states like Biahr, UP sp that there is no large scale migration just to eke out living in the otherwise brimming Mumbai and such other metros. Why street side hawking is flourishing is because town planners and real estate magnets have failed to provide small shopping facilities in a cluster of buildings. A hard closer look is therefore a must.
Please don't write such articles ..no one wants to improve situation in
our cities ...I went 2 Ministry of Human Resource Development under
Kapil Sibal with my PhD proposal for inclusive development ...dey thrown
it away saying ..."you better study rural poverty ..there is very less
poverty in Indian cities n poor in d cities r happy than rural ones ..."
.the sad truth is no one has interest in such topics in India ...
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