2015

Introduction to a special issue on "Conversations with the Modern Indian City: Questioning the Regimes of Modernity and Development" in the Journal of Social Science and Humanity Research

A comparison of the planned cities of Jaipur, New Delhi and Chandigarh. These represent the three main eras in Indian history, pre-colinisation, part of the British Empire, and post colonialism.

Charter Cities and India

What inherent possibilities reside in the diversity of the Indian city? What urban innovations are now being generated from India’s thriving creativity? With a basis in the specific Indian context, can the concept of sustainable urban development be redefined? Is the global economy, just as the world’s other assets, a limited finite resource? Is the global economy, just as the world’s other resources, limited? In light of today’s financial situation, the relations between economics, growth and limitations becomes obvious. Do the rules of economic development dictate a system limit that permits certain economies to grow while others stagnate? What does growth really mean? Perhaps it is symptomatic that while the economies of the west are contracting, India’s continues to expand. The eyes of the world are now on India. At the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this fall, Indian leaders will have to take a position on how their nation will assume its responsibility as one of the planet’s three largest economic players. Today India is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, but the possibilities for alternative energy sources are enormous and awareness about the consequences of climate change on their own geography is high. Even if the average Indian citizen is responsible for just 1/28 of the CO2 emissions compared with his American counterpart, the burgeoning pocketbooks of a rapidly growing middle class in a country which is soon to be the most populous in the world will have extreme consequences for our global environment and for India itself. A change in course for the world’s largest democracy would set a new international agenda. Can the Indian city reinvent itself and thereby present us with an alternative Development?

The state of cities in North-western India including in Haryana leave much to be desired. Faridabad, the largest class I as well as million plus metropolitan city of Haryana state, selected for the study is not an exception to the general urban scenario in the region as well in the state. Faridabad metropolis, which falls in the National Capital Region (NCR) has three major parts i.e., Old Faridabad, Ballabhgarh and New Industrial Township (NIT). The city’s population grew from 6.13 lakhs in 1991 to 14.14 lakhs in 2011. The population density also grew by more than double during 1991-2011 (from 3007 to 6757). The city had huge slum population in 2011 i.e., 2.15 lakhs and the density of population in slums is very high i.e., 11600 persons/ sq km which is much higher than the density of population at city level (6757). There has been drastic change in the land use patterns. The total area under residential use has grown about three and half times in last three decades i.e., from 5500 hectares in 1981 to 19262 hectares in 2011. At the same time area under commercial, industrial activities, transportation/ circulation, open spaces/ recreation has grown almost five times during the same period. The total population of the city has grown little more than four times against the total area of the city which has grown little less than four times during 1981-2011. The city seems to have experienced fast and unplanned urbanization visible in the form of encroachments, growth of slums, violation of planning norms and development plans in the last few decades. The first Development Plan (1991-2011) was not implemented in letter and spirit and recent Development Plan 2031 was stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in August 2014. At present city has multiple social deprivations i.e., low sex ratio (874) and literacy (84.9%); high level of non working population (67% of total population) and even higher percentage of female non workers (87%); high percentage of marginal workers (12.98% of total workers) and even higher percentage of female marginal workers (26%) in 2011, closure of industries (shutting down of 4000 units) since 2005 and high incidence of cognizable crime (5023) in 2012 and very high number of illiterate convicts in 2013-14 (667 illiterate convicts against 222 literate convicts). Housing continues to be inadequate and unsatisfactory in this important industrial town. The number of vacant census houses is high at 7.76% (29226 houses) although lower than the state (urban) average at 11.23% (296809 houses). Similarly semi permanent houses are huge at 6.68%. Households live in rented accommodation (23%), dilapidated houses (2.4%), liveable houses (39.1), one room (31.7%), two rooms (30.1%) and no exclusive room (2%). Unfortunately 10.8% HHs do not have latrine facility, 8.9% do not have bath rooms and 21% HHs do not have kitchen facility. 6.9 % The walls of about 7% HHS are made of mud/ unburnt bricks and floors of 7% are made of mud. Housing for the urban poor is even grim and initiatives under JNNURM have failed to show any positive impact. Despite construction of houses, there has been very negligible allotment (139 units at Bapu Nagar out of 1280 units), 202 units out of 1968 at Dabua Colony). The project has faced legal hurdles due to wrong identification of beneficiaries for houses. The condition of houses constructed under JNNURM but not allotted so far has deteriorated. Urban infrastructure has deficiencies in Faridabad in terms of coverage as well as quality. Water Supply is a big casualty with the coverage of 64% and per capita supply of 88LPC. The daily supply of water is 229MLD against the demand of 245MLD. The HHs get water from untreated source (10.6%), Hand pumps (15.3%) and Tube wells (13.4%). Less than 50% HHs have authorized connections. The O&M recovery is very negligible (27%). Sewerage is another crucial issue with the coverage of only 50% area. There are 66876 sewerage connections against 1, 03,110 water connections. The treatment plants are 4 with the capacity of 160 MLD. It is irony that 100% sewage is not treated. The number of non domestic connections (commercial and industrial) has decreased over a period of time. The sewage charges are very nominal (Rs 15 for domestic and Rs 25 / month for the commercial and industrial connections. Drainage is grossly inadequate. 43.4% waste water connections are connected to open drainage and 11.7% HHs have no drainage facility. Solid Waste management leaves much to be desired. The generation is 600 MT/ day and collection is only 400 MT/ day (67%). The HH coverage is only 76% and scientific disposal of waste is only 67%. The people do not practice improved systems of segregation of waste at source and do not try to reduce, re-use and recycle the waste which can help to improve sanitary conditions in the city. The sanitary conditions are poor and 10% properties not covered with toilets. The open defecation near slums and urban villages is very common. Deficiencies in parking, parks and street lights are visible. The education facilities are not well distributed across the slums areas of the city. The urban public health centres are grossly inadequate in slum areas. The standards of these services are lower than the norms. The reach and access of the slum dwellers to the CHCs etc is very poor. Traffic management in Faridabad is very poor due to spurt in growth of vehicles (private as well as commercial). Official records state that JNNURM has been a success in Faridabad and most of the urban governance reforms have been implemented. But pace of actual implementation of reforms (mandatory and optional reforms at municipal and state level) is slow. The citizens are not satisfied with most of the municipal services as depicted by the primary survey. There are multiple deprivations in slums. Haryana has highest level of urban poverty in North-western states with 19.6 Lakhs persons (23.0%) BPL in 2009-10 (Tendulkar Methodology). Another source shows 5.47 lakh urban BPL families (23.98 lakh persons) in the State (State BPL Survey 2009). In Faridabad, 65650 families (317389 persons) were found to be BPL (2007 Survey). The ward wise survey of BPL in Faridabad town in 2009 shows 65598 families as urban poor. The percentage of BPL families of the city in the total urban households of Faridabad is high in the city (22.41%). SJSRY and NULM very poorly implemented in the city. Faridabad requires innovative strategies to regulate and promote its future growth and development. There is an urgent need to provide housing to all the poor. The BSUP projects halted for long time should be completed soon. The state govt has to play more proactive role. The land should be arranged immediately for housing projects on reasonable prices for the projects not moving due to unavailability of land. There is a need to improve quality of water to ensure 100% supply of treated water and check illegal connections and regularize them. Volumetric supply is need of the hour. There is an urgent need to augment the sewerage system and provide 100% sewage treatment facilities. The monthly user charges should be introduced to recover the huge operation and maintenance costs of sewerage system. There is urgent need to augment the SWM services and infrastructure in deprived areas like slums. The segregation of waste should be promoted along with practices of recycling/ reusing and reducing of the waste. The city must have a city mobility and parking strategy. The efforts should be made to develop parking lots at the busy market areas, congested old city having narrow streets, institutional areas and other work places. Introduction of parking fee is must for properly maintaining and improving the facility. Adequate pedestrian infrastructure is needed to improve the mobility of the traffic and pedestrian movement. There is need to speed up the implementation of the projects under BSUP as well as UIG. More inclusive and city specific approach is needed in all the schemes and programmes for housing and poverty alleviation. There is a need to transfer functionaries and funds to the FMC in line with the Haryana municipal corporation act. FMC should be given autonomy to impose taxes, user charges and fees in accordance with the said act. Last but not least there is a need to implement JNNURM reforms at state and municipal level.

Urbanization process has its impacts leading to many issues. Provision for services is the most important response to these issues. It determines the quality of life in the cities. It is a major component of urban policies. At present the challenges of creating urban infrastructure have been recognized as: providing services in mega cities which are major centers of economic activities; infrastructure in small and medium towns; role of government versus private agencies; the question of financing; growth of inclusive cities and sustainability in providing urban infrastructure and above all the application of technical knowledge and expertise in determination of level of needs and implementation of policies. In developing countries the rate of urbanization is much higher than the urban preparedness. The study of urban picture in India is the narration of these issues. The present paper makes a modest attempt to depict it.

The cities in India have entered a period of growth, reflecting the country's general population increase and rising employment in secondary and tertiary activities. Today India probably ranks fifth among the nations of the world in number of urban inhabitants. With around 7000 towns in its census records India is facing an upheaval of unplanned urbanization and distorted urbanism.

CRRID Chandigarh under HUDCO Chair Programme, 2013