Abstract
In India’s six largest metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru), 48% of its residents were migrants in 2011. This number is projected to become over 50% by 2021. In the case of such metros, like Delhi, the “Urban villages”, along with other unplanned development, have become migrant hotspots, mainly due to its affordable housing options and advantageous locations within the city. They have become, the entry points into the city, for the underprivileged migrant, seeking the city, and its opportunities. As a result of the rapid urban expansion, the city of Delhi, absorbed its hinterlands, engulfing these villages, within the planned city fabric. However, the system of Urban Governance and certain policies, dating back to the colonial era, demarking these settlements as 'Lal Dora' in 1908 - to September 2020; the lieutenant governor of Delhi declaring 79 more 'Lal Dora' villages as “Urban villages”, taking the total tally of such Urban villages to 214. This has resulted in them, being exempted from the development framework of the larger city. This led to the settlements, molded by the forces of change, adapting to their context and adjacencies. They are now highly dense, socio-culturally diverse islands, within the modern Indian Metro, while remaining outside the usual Legal framework of development. In order to meet census requirements, these settlements were given the inherently contradictory names of “Urban Villages’. With prolonged neglect, they have become dense settlements, with unhealthy living conditions ; improper water & waste management, inadequate light and ventilation, while being a fire & construction hazard. Socially, there is clear class segregation between the owners and migrant tenants. There is no representation for these migrants, in matters of decision making even though they are the majority, or the population living in it. The migrants, have no sense of belonging, as there are no inclusive public spaces or opportunities for recreational and socio-cultural association. The prosperity and role, of this temporary heterogeneous group, has never been acknowledged, nor planned for, by the development authorities. This paper attempts to understand the relationship between the Urban village and the City, the needs and aspirations of the migrants in them, and the forces of change around these villages and their implications on future development. It also proposes a framework of development, that creates an inclusive, sustainable model of development, for Urban Villages, which guides their transformation, catalyzing a better quality of life and sense of belonging for all, with a focus on, the underprivileged migrant population. Through the use of spatial documentation, personal interviews and Focus Group Discussions held among the various stakeholders, this paper attempts to comprehend the true nature of the Urban village and its people The framework uses a public-private-partnership scheme, which will strategizes a developmental model, that uplifts the migrants through capacity building, economic and systematic support and create points of interest and association, for all. It argues that, to improve the quality of life for all while being socially just, the interventions should focus on the everyday patterns of live - work - play, of its stakeholders, as well as the socio-economical, administrative and morphological aspects of the Urban Village, holistically. It works through a responsibility model, which is a midpoint between the top down and bottom up approach of development. When Implemented to its full extend, it will play a role in fulfilling the needs and aspirations, creating a sustainable model of development for the Urban Villages, blurring the boundaries, socio-spatially, between the Landlords and the Migrant Tenants. the Insiders and Outsiders, and ultimately the Village and the City.
