Duality of Urban Development: A Study of the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy of Delhi

Abstract

Cities have played a significant role in the growth of the country and have attracted many from various income groups in hopes of social and economic mobility. However, the massive rise in population of the city, has created pressure on the limited resources it has. One of the largest pressures has been on the infrastructure of the city, which is not built to absorb the low-income group due to which they have resorted to settling in informal settlements around their places of work. With rapid development of the city, the demand for land has increased leading to forceful evictions, displacements and resettlement of informal settlements. Considering which, this study seeks to analyse the state response to the involuntary displacement and resettlement. It traces policies which deal with Urban Resettlement and Rehabilitation. It assesses the impact of resettlement on three settlements shifted to Baprola, from Kali Bari, Janpath and Jawalpuri under the Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojana. It has been substantiated from the findings of the survey spread across four months; November, December, February and March. The selection criteria for these participants was non-probability convenience sampling. The study in its secondary analysis finds that various national and state policies have been designed to benefit the state and land owning authorities, while they tend to criminalise the inhabitants of informal settlements. We find that the policies have not been designed through prism of social justice for the marginalised and impoverished, as it does not include policies for livelihood restoration, providing adequate facilities at the site, ensuring upward mobility and a gendered perspective. Where they have been included, implementation has been a huge problem especially for those declared ineligible. From the survey in Baprola, we understood that Resettlement has impacted education of children, and livelihood and income extensively leading to a degradation in living standards. DSUIB, under the Delhi Slum & JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015 has led to negative impact on the marginalised from development. The study thus recommends a Right to Resettlement and Right to Entitlement for ensuring sustainable development.