HARlTATINTL. Vol. Y. No. 314, pp. ?hl-XX, 1985 Printed in Chat Britain.

OlY7~3Y75/X5 $3.(K) + 0.00 0 IYXh Pcrgamon Prcs Ltd.

An Approach to Shelter Squatters in Pune

for

P.S.A. SUNDARAM Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority, Griha Nirman Bhavan,

Bandra (East), Bombay 400 051, India

and

A.L. BONGIRWAR Municipal Commissioner, Pune

Pune is one of the twelve metropolitan cities in India and is one of the major cities in the western part of the country. It belongs to the relatively highly urbanised State of Maharashtra and is one of the major industrial centres in the country. The population of the city has more than trebled during the last four decades. The rate of growth of population has brought with it well-known problems of urban growth, viz. the gap between the rate of population growth and the provision of adequate housing and basic services to the city residents widening continuously. In line with other major cities in India, Pune faced the problem of rapid growth of its population through natural increase and immigration, due to the chronic poverty of the surrounding districts and periodic droughts, inability of the city administration to provide basic services and housing to the existing city population, and the consequent deterioration of the urban environment and the growth of slums and squatter settlements.

Pune was one of the major centres of the Maratha Empire. After the collapse of the Maratha power, it was governed by the British until Independence. The period after 1940 marks the rapid growth of industries in and around the city. The curb on industrial expansion in Bombay in 1960 gave a further boost to industrial growth in Pune, as it has the advantage of proximity and easy access to Bombay. Despite town planning efforts for the past seven decades to create an orderly and hygienic urban environment, the city authorities increasingly faced the proliferation of unplanned and uncontrolled squatter settlements in total contravention of the City Development Plan. Growth in their number has been spectacular in the last two decades. According to the census taken in 1976, the total slum population was about 275,000 as compared to 176,000 in 1968. It is now estimated to be about 440,000. There were in all, 327 separate such settlements, spread over the area of the Pune Municipal Corporation. Slum settlements have not grown in random fashion. but have grown by accretion into a highly complex differential system. In most cases, existing settlements of the poor and the socially under-privileged have more low-income population. Poor immigrants have often tended to settle in a culturally familiar environment, often when their kin members have settled. The important low income settlements fall into five categories, viz.:

1. inner-city area where low-income and socially under-privileged groups have been traditionally housed;

2. former villages around Pune, now engulfed by urban expansion; 3. former settlements of brick kiln workers after kilns are shifted away from city; 4. earlier settlements of building workers near the work sites; 5. peripheral settlements of nomadic tribes.

Many of the settlements are situated on land judged unsuitable for building purposes under building regulations, such as that subject to floods, or with unsuitable topography. or without proper access to water supply and drainage. etc. As no development is permitted on such lands. these locations remain available for new unauthorised settlements or expansions of existing ones. However, they have the advantage of being near the inner-city arca where there is a greater possibility of finding casual jobs. In 1971. slum settlements were estimated to occupy 250 acres at a density of 600 persons per acre. While some settlements have as few as 20 or 25 huts. medium-sized settlements with 700 huts form the majority. Some settlements accommodate up to a thousand huts. Nearly two-thirds of the settlements are on privately-owned land, often reserved for public uses such as parks, schools and hospitals. The proportion of the population living in slums is estimated to be well over 30%. Apart from this. an increasingly large proportion of the population - even in authorised houses - lives in conditions of overcrowding and inadequate sanitation. Given the deteriorating housing situation for a growing proportion of the city population on the one hand. and the increasing percentage of the city’s malt workers employed in manufacture, the access to decent housing has been diminishing over the years even for the relatively better-off sections of the population. Meanwhile, planned development has concentrated on creation of urban housing based on standards of space and environment which arc within the reach of only a small minority: and the production of even this formal housing has formed an insignificant percentage of the total housing needs of the population.

The approach of the government so far has been to concentrate on the en-

vironmental improvement of the slums. Since 1072-1973. the Central and State Governments have been implementing the Minimum Needs Programmc for providing common water supply. common latrines. drainage, pathways and street lights according to a prescribed IICY urpittr ceiling cost. This cost was originally fixed at Rs. 1X)/- and now stands at Rs. XI/-. The entire programme sufffered from the major flaw that the slum scttlcments were considered temporary and the question of title never entered into the calculations of the urban planners. The Task Force on Shelter. set up by the Planning Commission, recently argued for a more comprehensive and durable approach to the problem of slums. Instead of taking up slum improvement as a temporary solution, the government was urged to take steps to convert slums into viable human settlements based on security of tenure and opportunity for upgrading dwellings. It was further necessary to integrate physical and social amenities in the slums on the lines already taken up in Urban Community Development Projects in cities like Hyderabad. based on community participation and active involvement of local bodies. This approach has been broadly accepted by the government and the need for involving slum dwellers at all stages of slum improvement and upgrading has been rccogniscd. It has been appreciated that the slum dwellers should be helped to integrate their settlements into the formal urban structure and further become involved not only in the maintenance of the facilities provided in the settlements, but also in the improvement of their dwellings or in the construction of formal housing. Major projects based on this approach are already under implementation in Hyderabad. Vishakhap~~ttan~l~ii. Madras and Kanpur, the last two projects having been taken up with World Bank assistance. An equally significant project with World Bank assistance has been recently started in Bombay and it is proposed to upgrade 100.000 slum families based on

the principle of security of tenure and home improvement. It is in the context of this changed approach and cmphasia of the government

and the local authorities that the scheme for rehabilitation of the slum dwellers situated along the Mutha Right Bank Canal in Pune needs to be considered.

The project has a number of unique features. which qualify for consideration

Atz Approach to Shdrcr for Squaffers in Pune 263

as the first venture of its kind, and deserve to be considered for replication in other major towns in order to attempt a solution to the vexed problem of slums in the growing cities. These features include:

1. Systematic involvement of the families at each stage of the project, i.e. from the selection of the sites to the type of development, type of construction, new features of construction, financial contribution and the phasing of eventual shifting to the new sites.

2. Fullest involvement of the elected non-officials of the Municipal Corpor- ation in what was initially an official effort and subsequent support extended by all sections of the city, including the press;

3. Co-ordination of the different agencies concerned with city development in various aspects of the programme such as land acquisition, provision of services, law and order, formation of co-operatives, financial assistance for Scheduled Castes and Tribes represented by the Commissioner, Collector, Police Officers, Director of Social Welfare, Commissioner for Co-operation, etc. This in turn was buttressed by the support extended by the highest level of administration in the state in the form of the Chief Secretary, Secretary (Housing), Secretary (Urban Development) and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.

4. Involvement of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) in this unique venture by way of assistance for sites-and-services, as well as construction, in the form of willingness to route funds through the Bank of Maharashtra by accepting bank guarantee and by permitting release of funds.

5. Involvement of a nationalised bank - viz. the Bank of Maharashtra - for the first time in agreeing not only to channel the loan to the beneficiaries, but in handling all stages of the operation from the assessment of eligibility to the ultimate disbursement of funds, maintenance of accounts and subsequent day-to- day recovery of the loan on payment of agreed commission, which in fact, opens up a new chapter in the history of nationalised banks in India, which could be followed by other banks.

6. Close involvement of the beneficiaries with the actual construction process resulting in a structure which fully meets the needs of the ultimate residents, as compared to the present impersonal type of construction by the housing agencies without regard for their ultimate needs. This results in considerable cost reduction. Construction also represents a demonstration project showing the difference between the pre-fabricated and conventional type of construction.

7. Above all, it shows what a committed group of officials can achieve in the democratic municipal set-up for proper rehabilitation of slum dwellers and for integrating them into the formal city fabric if they are given adequate support from the elective element and other organs of state administration. In that sense, it is a major pilot study in innovative and positive public administration.

The project involves shifting and rehabilitating about 10,000 slum families situated along the Mutha Right Bank Canal near the famous Parvati Hill. This contiguous settlement sprang up in the early 1960s and expanded rapidly after the disastrous floods of 1961. The main reason for the rapid development of huts in this area was the availability of land on the slopes of Parvati Hill and the easy access to the inner city; they increased by over 500% over the last 10 years. It lies between the thoroughfare at the foot of Parvati Hill and the Mutha Right Bank Canal. Dwellings are largely of medium quality. The slope of the hill provides natural drainage. However, the slum dwellers broke the fence protecting the canal at a number of places, both in order to get drinking water and to use open ground alongside the canal as toilets. Nearly 85% of heads of households are landless. Over half of the present residents arrived in Pune during the decade 1960-1970. It received a majority of the landless households from the drought- prone areas in Maharashtra. Casual labourers account for one-third of the total occupation. The literacy rate is about 31%. The Pune Municipal Corporation

sweepers account for Ii. ~(X,. formal service S.5’%, and semi-skilled lahour another 8.5%. About 11% are cngagcd in petty trades. Some two-thirds of the households earn less than Rs. 50/- IWY crrpifrr: over 73% of households earn an income even below the subsistence level. However. by comparison with other settlements, 21 larger proportion of earners in Pnr\,ati have ;I stable income. Some 30% of the huts have an area of less than 60 SC]. ft. The a\~ailability of water- supply. latrines and other facilities is extremely inadcquatc.

While the Pune Municipal Corporation has been undertaking slum improve- ment since IW’&lc)75, it was felt that this did not provide ;I lasting solution to the problem. It must be mentioned here that the efforts of the C’orporation in slum

improvement have been significant, with over 2.8 lokh population having benefited so far through an expenditure of about Rs. 70 millions. There is a separate department for slum improvement in the Corporation and a project of Urban Community Development (with UNICEF assistance) has also begun. Funds for slum improvement are provided by the state level Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority on behalf of the State Government.

When the Corporation proceeded to identify those slums which would require relocation. in view of the precarious and dangerous condition in which slum dwellers were living. they came to the conclusion that the slums located along Mutha Right Bank Canal needed to be shifted, both because the existing settlements were in an extremely unhygienic and disease-prone situation and because they posed a major pollution hazard to the drinking-water source of the city.

The Mutha Right Bank Canal starts from Khadakwasla Dam, which traditionally is the main source of water supply to Punt City. The Parvati Water Works of the Pune Municipal Corporation is located 11 km along this canal and the Cantonment Water Works is located further along at the 19th km of the canal. Before the intake point at Parvati Water Works. which is the primary filtration plant for water supply to Punt City, for a stretch of 2 km. various slums are located. Beyond the intake of the Parvati Water Works and before the intake of the Cantonment Water Works, are to be found the slums scheduled for relocation. These slums use canal water for all human necessities, including drinking, washing, bathin g and cleaning utensils, etc. (Fig. 1). Apart from the fact that the slums pollute the water by using it for all purposes, the Irrigation Department has on various occasions expressed fears about the danger to the canal itself, because the slum dwellers take away the canal mud for construction of their houses and often make pathways on the banks of the canal to reach the water level. This results in erosion of the canal banks and thus endangers the canal itself. Therefore. it was for these two reasons necessary that the slums along the Mutha Right Bank Canal should be either moved or provided with an alternative source of water supply. Since the alternative of providing another source of water supply was not possible, for various reasons already mentioned, it was decided to prepare a scheme of rehabilitation.

Once it was decided to prepare such a scheme. a quick census was carried out by 700 employees of the Municipal Corporation. This was done in November 1983. The result of this census is as shown in Table 1 (locations are shown on Figs 2-4).

Having obtained this data. it was then decided to frame the project and in particular to decide the concepts which could be utilised for this project and the benefits that would be offered to the slum dwellers. etc. It was also decided to

Survey nulnber SlUl~~

Number of huts

3.x55 1.381

711

2.050

I.lziY I‘!5 Xl2

Approximate area (sq. m.)

Plot Nos. 3X3. 5SJ. S.No. 1.37

4XYJ.S6

3388 1.3’) I.ill.lX

S.Noa. 131, 133 1013x8.4.5 117. IIX

1897X. 17 S.No. 252. Hadapw 3514.20 S.No. I31 wiY7.67

266

,I .__

I----------- ’ Mahomadwadt

Dhankawad,

0 Below 100 huts

0 IO0 - 200 huts

0 201 - 500 huts

-_ _

0 501 - 1000 huts

0 IO01 - 2000 huts

0 2001 and above huts

1

Sbns sltuoted on government and Poono Mun~clpal Corporation piots

267

finalist the various steps for ir~~plementatio~i of the project. For this purpose. major consultations with the concerned non-officials - 1.i:. MLAs. dignitaries including the Mayor -were carried out. On the basis of these discussions. it was decided as follows:

I. to offer ;I plot of at least 276 up to 100 xl. ft. on W years Icase to the slum dwellers:

2. to provide all civic amenities. such as: (a) internal roads; (b) drainage; (c) street lighting;

3. to provide individual latrine and individual water-tap connections; 3. to construct a small dwelling unit of I35 sq. ft. for those who could afford it; 5. to obtain housing loan for the slum dwellers. Once these concepts were finalised, they wcrc put up for approval at the

following fora: 1. party leaders in the Corporation. under the Chairmanship of the Mayor: 2. the Standing Committee. which is a statutory comnittec under the Bornhtry Pro\~irlcirrl Mlrrziciptrl (‘or-potxtiom Act, lW9; 3. general Body of the Corporation.

These various authorities :ave their approval in general to the above concepts and the Municipal Commissloncr was authoriscd to proceed further to finalise the scheme.

Apart from the non-official bodies involved. it was also necessary to obtain the approval of the State Government. The proposal was sent to the government in August 1’433 and on 2 September 1983. the scheme was approved. This was followed by a high level meeting at Pune under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary on 19 November 1983. This meeting was attended by all non-officials concerned including the Mayor and [ corporators]. The officers concerned from the Revenue Department and the Municipal Corporation were also present. Thus. the approval of the highest authorities of the State Government in consultation with all the non-officials W;I~ obtained and so this was the real start of the project.

When the scheme was thus cleared both bv the non-officials and officials and by the various authorities of the Pune Mu&pal Corporation, it was publicly announced. The local press gave ;I \:er-y positive response to the project and encouraged the officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take up the project. However. there were very strong reactions from some slum dwellers in February 1983. A few slum dwellers. headed by their local leaders, went on an indefinite fast in front of the PMC office building and sent delegations to the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner to oppose the scheme. They insisted that they should not bc shifted from the present site and that all civic amenities should bc provided for them there. It MU after a series of discussions between the slum dwellers and the non-officials on one side. and between the slum dwellers and the Municipal Commissioner and other officers of the Municipal Corporation on the other side, that the advantages of the new scheme were explained in great detail to the rcprescntatives of these slum dwellers and they were told that it was impossible to provide civic amenities at the existing locations. They were also told that it was precisely for this reason that slum improvement works on the existing locations had not been carried out for the past 8-10 years - the period durin, (7 which thcv had been in these slums. This yielded good results and. within ;I fortnight. the &ople who had gone on the fast before the PMC building decided to accept the scheme.

The Pune Municipal Corporation also undertook ;I special campaign in the slum areas themselves. This was done by organising meetings in small groups in the slum pockets themselves during the evening and night hours. These meetings were addressed by [corporators]. who were also members of the Standing Committee and also by the Punt Municipal Corporation officers led by the Assistant Municipal Commisaioncr (Slum Control). The non-officials - the

Khodakw

asla D

am

\ /

-I 270’

t T

ypical cross

section of

old canal

Mtle

no. O

/O

to 12/O

Not

to scale

Fig. 4.

Pune

City.

[corporators] themselves - started taking meetings to the slum pockets. The slum dwellers developed some sort of confidence in the policy-makers of the scheme (the Municipal Corporation) and also in those who were responsible for implementation of the scheme (officers of the Municipal Corporation). A large number of slum dwellers also started meeting the Municipal Commissioner in small groups on various occasions to understand the scheme and to suggest modifications etc. to benefit them. After such large consultations and after feedback prepared by the non-officials involved, the final scheme was prepared by the Slum Control Department and the Department proceeded further with the preparation of plans and estimates.

The fact that the slum dwellers were not hostile to the project and that they were willing to participate after mutual consultation was evident when the census of the slums was carried out. To Pune Municipal Corporation’s pleasant surprise, the census staff were welcomed by the slum dwellers. Many of them were received with enthusiasm, were offered tea and snacks etc. by the slum dwellers, who cooperated fully in giving all the details - sometimes even by staying home from work when the officers of the Municipal Corporation arrived for census. This was evident also from the fact that the census of about 10,000 families could be carried very smoothly within a period of two days by a large number of about 700 employees with virtually no duplication or omissions.

As soon as the census was carried out, local publicity amongst the slum dwellers and in the office of the Slum Control Department was given to the effect that the lists of census were available for inspection. Objections - if any - regarding inclusion or otherwise of the names were invited from the slum dwellers and also from the relevant Corporation officers. Only about 150 to 200 complaints were received, which were dealt with firmly by proper enquiry and it was found that only about 40 to 50 of these applications deserved to be included in the census. This indicates that the hard work done by the staff engaged in the census and also that the slum dwellers cooperated very well in giving full information. The local population wrote letters to the press. The local press also came out very strongly in support of the scheme, since they were attracted by the various positive features of the scheme but primarily because the scheme aimed at saving the Mutha Right Bank Canal (principal source of water supply to Pune City) from pollution. The problem of pollution of drinking-water by these slum dwellers had been discussed in the corridors of the Pune Municipal Corporation for quite some time, and particularly since the year 1977-1978, when the slum dwellers along the Mutha Right Bank Canal increased in population. It was also proposed to construct protective walls along both sides of the canal so as to prevent further infiltration in the canal water and the total estimated cost of rehabilitation of slum dwellers and construction of these protective walls on both sides of the canal was much less than the cost of the pipeline project. It was for these reasons that the local press gave great support to the scheme and fully encouraged implementation of the scheme.

The various aspects and steps for preparation and implementation of the project are as follows:

1. carrying out the census of the target slum population; 2. identifying the land for shifting of the slum dwellers; 3. requisition and acquisition of the lands; 4. finalising the layout of the new area; 5. preparation of plans and estimates for providing all civic amenities; 6. finalising the design, estimate and tender for construction of small dwelling

units and the latrine otu and individual water taps; 7. making financial arrangements for loan and fixing the agency for

disbursement and recovery of the loan; 8. making administrative arrangements to receive individual applications for

“AB 9:3/4-R

272 P.S.A. Sundurcrrn md A. L. Rongirwwr

allotment of site in the new layout, for payment of margin money from the bank and for selection of the dwelling unit;

9. communicating sanction of the plot, dwelling unit, etc. to the slum dweller and actual progress of the project;

10. registration and documentation of various agreements etc. required for the project and handing over the possession of the new dwelling unit after taking into possession the old site.

All these aspects of the project were planned and implemented as follows.

Census of ,slum population

This aspect has already been dealt with. Two copies of the form were prepared so that one remained with the slum dweller himself. An identity card was proposed to be issued. On the identity card (Fig. 5), it was specifically mentioned that the census is for the purpose of rehabilitation so that the slum dweller is not confused regarding the purpose of the census. Three photographs of slum

(PI

(T)

(3)

(9

(4)

(f)

An Approach to Shelter for Squatters in Pwle 273

dwellers were taken at the time of census: one to be held on the record of the Slum Control Department, the second for the Identity Card, and the third to be used for the loan application of the slum dweller. To identify the photograph of the slum dweller, a small plate with his/her Survey Number was put in front of the slum dweller to be photographed so that this identification number was visible on the photograph. This was a permanent identification number being assigned to him for all correspondence and also on the Identity Card, so that in future his papers or his case did not get mixed up with anything else. On different forms taken under the scheme, on the right hand corner a small block was designed where this identification number was always given. Immediately after the census, the slum dweller was required to pay a sum and take away his identity card. This was done deliberately so that the slum dweller realised the importance of the census and the identity card and should realise that nothing was available as charity.

Land for the project

Fortunately, the Development Plan of Pune published in September 1982 identified approximately 350 hectares of land specifically for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers. The target slum dwellers are located on the South-West side of Pune City and, therefore, the land which could be offered to them would necessarily have to be on that side. The Pune Municipal Corporation therefore selected about 160 acres of land (Fig. 6) which have been identified in the Development Plan for slum rehabilitation along the sides of the Pune-Bangalore National Highway.

Requisition and acquisition of land

The officers of the Pune Municipal Corporation were sent to undertake immediate physical inspection of the land and it was found that except for about half an acre these lands were physically vacant.

The first legal requirement before any scheme for slum rehabilitation can be taken up is that existing slums have to be notified as “Slum Areas” under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Re-development) Act, 2971. Immediate steps were taken thus to register the existing areas accordingly.

The lands taken up for rehabilitation were, as explained above, physically vacant. Therefore, by virtue of the powers vested in the Collector under the Bombay Land Requisition Act, 1948, it was legally possible to take possession of this land immediately. The Collector of Pune was therefore moved to requisition these. lands (vide Municipal Commissioner’s letter dated 1 October 1983). The importance of the scheme was explained in a general meeting convened by the Divisional Commissioner, Pune, in which the Collector of Pune, the Municipal Commissioner and the City Engineer of the Corporation were present. It was explained to the Revenue Authorities that the scheme had laudable objectives and the lands which have been selected for this purpose are already notified in the Development Plan of Pune published in September 1982 for EWS housing. They were persuaded to take up the proposal of requisition of lands on an urgent basis. The Collector of Pune started hearing the parties on 18 January 1984 and the hearing was completed by 4 April 1984. Simultaneously, orders for requisition were passed and the first order was passed on 27 January 1984 and the last order was passed on 6 April 1984. During this period, 27 hectares and 91 Rs. of land was transferred to the Pune Municipal Corporation. In each case, the Collector of Pune passed detailed orders after hearing the parties themselves or through their advocates. The orders were in detail and gave reasons why the lands were being taken on an urgent basis. It was because of this that, although a

274

An Approuch to Shelter for Squutters in Punt 275

few parties approached the Courts, the Courts on the basis of orders of Collector appreciated the purpose and passed orders in favour of the Collector and the Pune Municipal Corporation.

This is probably the first time that such large areas were taken in possession by a public body for public purposes in such a short period. This enabled the Pune Municipal Corporation immediately to take up the work of providing internal developments and the construction of houses.

Under the provisions of law, requisition has to be followed by acquisition. Therefore, the Commissioner, Pune Division, was moved (vi& Letter No. LEO/2845 dated 9 January 1984) for acquisition of these lands. Joint measure- ments were carried out on 31 May 1984 and the lands were notified for acquisition on 5 June 1984 under the Lund Acquisition Act. The Land Acquisition Officers moved with full care and speed and the awards of about 66 acres of land were declared on 5 November 1984. This is probably the fastest acquisition completed in an urban area for such large areas of land.

Finalisation of the layout of new sites

The Pune Municipal Corporation also felt that they should consult the local Architects, Engineers and Surveyors Association, inviting their suggestions for preparation of the layout and the design of the houses. A competition was announced in the local newspapers. The prize money was contributed jointly by the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Architects, Engineers and Surveyors Association. The co-operation and involvement of the local Association of Architects, Engineers and Surveyors was thus obtained.

The Pune Municipal Corporation gained plans and ideas from this compe- tition. The Corporation also held consultations with the Director of Town Planning, Maharashtra State, during the preparation of the layout. HUDCO,

276 P.S. A. Sunciarmrn und A. L. Rongimw

An Approach IO Shelter for Squatters in Pune 277

-N

Fig. 9. Proposed rehabilitation scheme for slum dwellers at S. No. 14 (part), Dhankawadi, Pune 9.

New Delhi was approached for financial assistance and hence technical advice from their Consultancy Cell in preparation of this layout was also obtained. HUDCO has substantial experience of finalising such layouts in various parts of the country and this proved to be extremely useful. Thus, taking into consideration the suggestions of the competition, the advice of the Director of Town Planning and the advice of the local Engineers of the Pune Municipal Corporation, the layout was prepared in final consultation with the Consultancy Cell of HUDCO (see Figs 7-9 for the layouts of Bibawewadi Lower and Upper).

Preparation of plans and estimates

The plans and estimates of the entire scheme were prepared by the Slum Control Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation. While preparing these, care was taken to see that the entire work was in accordance with the norms prescribed by the State Government for internal civic amenities and with the standards prescribed by the Town Planning Department.

It was also found that if basic amenities of drainage and drinking water were to be provided to the slum dwellers on the site, the main drainage and the main water supply lines would have to be brought up to these localities. The Pune Municipal Corporation decided to provide these services from its own funds. Since the budget for the year 1983-1984 was already prepared, it was decided to raise a special loan against the Sinking Fund. For this purpose, special permission of the state government was also obtained to raise this loan of Rs. 1.52 crores. The details of the schemes are as follows: (1) drainage - Rs. 92.20 lakhs; (2) water supply - Rs. 97.19 lakhs; (3) roads - Rs. 20.85 lakhs.

The assistance at the rate of Rs. 250/- per capita was available from the state government for providing these civic amenities. It was decided that the amount required over and above the money that would be made available to the Pune Municipal Corporation (on the basis of a per capita limit of Rs. 250/-) would be

raised through a contribution to bc taken from the slum dwellers in lierr of the special facility of individual latrine and individual water tap being provided to the slum dwellers on a fully developed plot.

Finalising the desip

For this purpose, after taking into consideration the various designs that were received in the competition, tender notices were inserted in the ncwspapcrs and various offers were received. Out of the various offers that were received. the following two offers were finalised.

1. Messrs B.G. Shirke & Co. (Cost Rs. 9.120/-). The specifications of their design are given in Table 2 and Fig. 10. The speciality of this design is the fact that the roof comprises a 6” Siporex slab with full waterproofing treatment and the walls are of 6” hollow cement blocks. The flooring in this case was of cement tiles. These specifications gave a distinct and different look to the structure offered (Figure 11 shows the finished structure on site). The Siporex slab has got IS1 mark and most of the building material was manufactured by the Shirke-Siporex Consortium in factory conditions under strict supervision.

(1) Foundation:

(3) Superstructure: I50 mm thick hollow dense concrete block masonry 111 CM I :h (7.25s mat ridy and 1.0-13 m at eavc\) high above plinth including top finishing \vith I :20 mm thick cmlxxicled wth 2 No. (7 mm diamctcr 1x1~ L’IC’.

2. Buildwell Construction Co. (Cost Rs. 7.X00/-). This company offered a traditional design. The specifications of this design are shown in Table 3 and Fig. 12. The walls are of brick and cement and there is an asbestos roof. Figure 1.3 shows the finished structure on site.

After these two designs were selected, both the agencies were asked to construct sample rooms on the site and the beneficiaries wcrc informed about the type of designs selected (vide our letter - Appendix). The beneficiaries visited the site in large numbers and saw the samples for themselves. The enclosed letter gave in detail the specifications of the structure celccted. the cost.

An Approach to Shelter for Squatters in Pune 279

POW -

280

1 2. 3 4. 5

6: 7.

8. 9.

10.

Il. 12. 13. 14. 1s. 16. 17. 18.

Item No

Excavation P.C.C. U.C.R. Mnsonr\

U.C.R. Pointin; Cement plaster Rough-cast plaster Filling in plinth

1:S:lO P.C.C. Flooring (a) B.B. Maaonq (13) B.B. Masonrv

Doors R.C.C. Grill Purlin Roofing Electrification Water suppI\ Painting Lintels

Dc\cl-iption

Asst. Mol. Commissioner (S.C.) Punt hlunlcipal (‘orp~,ratior

An Approach to Shelter fbr Squatters in Pune 281

-

the layout of the plot and the room that would be located in this plot. The beneficiaries were also told that they would be allowed to expand the existing structure on the rear side of the plot.

As a result of this, the beneficiaries started giving their preference of the houses. the details of which are:

1. No. of beneficiaries who have opted for houses of Messrs B.G. Shirke & Co.

2,726

2. No. of beneficiaries who have opted for houses of Messrs Buildwell Construction Co.

Total

As far as actual construction of houses by these contractors, the progress has been:

Finunciul arrangements for loan

The Bank of Maharashtra has been appointed as Manager for the programme of advancing and recovery of loan under a special agreement entered between the Bank and the Pune Municipal Corporation. This is the first of its type of arrangement in the country and has introduced an element of professionalism in

An Approach IO Shdrrr for Syuuttm in Punr 283

the process of advancing and recovery of loan. The Bank has interviewed individual beneficiaries and decided their eligibility for loans, on the basis of their repayment capacity. The beneficiary is required to have an interview and to fill in the prescribed pro forma made available by the Pune Municipal Corporation. As of 15 April 1985, the progress of work done by the Bank is as follows:

Numbers 1. Total beneficiaries interviewed 1,284 2. Cases sanctioned and loan disbursed 766

3. Cases under consideration 118 4. Cases rejected 24 5. Cases sanctioned but kept pending as the houses are not 376

complete

The loan is made available on the HUDCO pattern. Under that arrangement, for an income of Rs. 300 to Rs. 600, the loan is available at 8% per annum with 15 years period of repayment and on approximately 20% margin money.

So far 5,384 beneficiaries have deposited an amount of Rs. 1,05,30,260/- in the Bank; 830 beneficiaries have paid the full amount.

The instalment of repayment in each case comes approximately from Rs. 96 to Rs. 118 per month for a period of 15 years depending on the size of the plot and type of structure.

The Bank of Maharashtra has already started recovery in cases where the instalments have fallen due and the experience in this regard has been good.

Administrative arrangements for receiving applications and consequent com- munications

The total cost of the project in each case is dependent on the size of the plot, the type of the room which the beneficiary selects. The cost and the type of structure that each beneficiary may choose and the amount of loan that would be made available was also communicated to all beneficiaries in the form of a circular (see Table 4).

Registration of documents

The state government (vide Revenue and Forests Department Order No. STP.l785/CR-4/85/MI, January 1985) have decided to exempt the beneficiaries from payment of stamp duty and registration fees. This would on an average give a benefit of about Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 to each beneficiary. The beneficiary is required to sign an agreement and a lease. These documents were finalised jointly by the Bank of Maharashtra and the Pune Municipal Corporation in consultation with their legal departments.

We have so far given possession of new rooms to 783 beneficiaries. At the time of taking possession of the new rooms, the beneficiaries are required to pull down the existing structures themselves and hand over vacant possession of the land under occupation of their structures. This is irrespective of whether or not the beneficiary is a tenant of the existing hut. As explained earlier, the entire lands have been notified under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Re-development) Act, 1971 and are also to be notified under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition for the public purposes enumerated in the Development Plan of Pune published in 1982. It is therefore possible for the Pune Municipal Corporation to take interim possession of the land through the occupant beneficiary.

P.S. A. .srr/lr~rrrtrflr mrl A. L. HlJ,f,yirrr:fl/

An Approuch to Shelter for Squatters in PWIP 285

Conclusion

The scheme in the first phase proposed to shift 3,800 beneficiaries located in the slum called Janata Vasahat. Out of these, about 90% slum dwellers have paid some sum as their margin money to the Pune Municipal Corporation and have thus shown a willingness to move. While we have been successful in persuading the slum dwellers to agree to move, the actual process of construction of alternative houses and relocation has started. Since we have completed about 1,415 houses, about 780 families have actually moved. The process of shifting the Janata Vasahat by giving them alternative houses at the new sites is expected to be completed by the end of August 1985. By that date, the land on which the Janata Vasahat is currently located could start being used for alternate purposes reserved in the Development Plan - i.e. green areas, parks, etc.

Seeing the success of the present project, slum dwellers in other parts of the city are coming forward with requests for taking up similar projects for rehabilitation and upgrading of the present housing stock. The Corporation in turn is responding to these initiatives in a positive manner. At the state level, the other municipal corporations have been encouraged to take up similar schemes for relocation of slum dwellers from land required for public purposes, with the full support and participation of the slum dwellers themselves, and such projects are already under way in Solapur, Kolhapur and Nagpur. The 7th Five-Year Plan for Maharashtra includes a proposal to take up slum upgrading projects in different cities in order to confer tenure on the slum dwellers and to provide loans for improvement of the housing stock. It also seeks to provide assistance for setting up community extension cells in these corporations, to integrate delivery of different urban services in selected slums. The importance of the project has also been recognised at the national level and detailed documen- tation of the project has been taken up for presentation to other city-level agencies.

APPENDIX LEAFLET CIRCULATED TO SLUM DWELLERS

(free translation)

(1) Betterment charges include the expenditure of individual W.C. plinth and individual water tap. (2) Every individual must deposit his share of personal contribution in the Bank of Maharashtra before

getting the possession of his house or ottu.

(3) Every individual who has selected an otta is expected to complete his house with at least 1500 Rs. building material for dwelling and roofing. The legal documents of ottn or plot will be handed over to him, only after the completion of his house.

(4) The plot of 400 sq. ft will be handed over to those who fulfill the following conditions. (a) They must have the Identity Card of the census carried out in November/December 1983 (b) The total number of family members should not be six or less than six.

(5) The differentiation between the Identity Card for residential and commercial purposes will be as follows:

Purpose of Identity Card

(a) Residential purpose

(b) Residential and commercial (c) Commercial purpose

Procedure of decision and execution

(a) Only for residence and not for any commercial purpose

(b) Only for residential purpose as above (c) Those who have been registered as commercial will

he given a commercial plot on a priority basis

Those slum dwellers who are in the category ‘b’ as stated above and want commercial plots also will open a separate account in the Bank of Maharashtra and will deposit an amount of Rs. 5.000 and after filling the commercial form should submit to the Slum Control Office of Pune Municipal Corporation. The plots will be allotted on first come first served basis taking into consideration the convenience of the department.

(6) Every individual must deposit an amount of 20% of the total expenditure of each plot. (7) Each individual will bear the cost of agreements. registration etc., andwill execute all the documents at his

own cost and interest.

(9) Every individual shall select the tyc of houw hc want\ as per lorm No. 7 on the assumption that he will get a lwnh kxm and thus the complctcd form should he submitted to the Slum Control Dept. of the P.M.C. He will get the powxion 01 his wlected houx alter the wnction of loan from the Bank ot Maharaahtra and after dcpo\iting his individual aharc in the Bank.

(IO) The possession of the plot with house or of/o will tw handed over to the indl\~dual after the sanction 01 hank loan xii far as possible.

Monthly Income Rate 01 1ntere\r Rcpayncnt Period

(a) HClOlb KS. I .OOO~- I?’ ?(‘il IO >car\ (h) Abwc K\. I .()()(I:- Ii ’ ?“<I IO year\

The following condition\ shall be lullillcd in ordc~- to get the Ioan from the ban!,: (a) to \uhmit the application in the proper lorm: (b) the monthly income certificate from the cmploycr: (c) the certification from Tahasildar if not wrving :myherc. If you have any difficulty regarding this noble \chemc. you may. please contact the following officers at

Nehru Stadium between 5 p.m. to S pm : (i) Mr L.N. Kink A\\t. Mpl. Commi\\ionct- (Slum C‘ontrol); (ii) Mr S.V. Deshmuhh Asst. Mpl. CrmmissioncI- ($I): (iii) Mr C‘.B. alias Dada Satputc. The loan procedure for the schedule cwt slum dwellers usill he ah follows. (I) A society will hc formed and the rcgi\tered mcmhcr~ of the society will vary from I I to 50. The registered

society will submit their loan application to the Director of the Social Welfare Dept. (ii) Each reystcred \(xicty can accommodate IO ‘II1 of non-whedulcd caste memhcrs. 3. Ever) schedule ca\te member is entitled to a long-term loan as well as low interest rate as per government

rate. 1. Every individual who has dcpoaitcd his pcrs~)nal contribution 1n the bank will get the house of his choice

in the neiphbourhood 01 his non-schcdulcd cwt& memlwr as per the rules. Allotment of plot - the plot allotment procedure will be as follows: (i) the slum dwellers who have opened

the account In the bank Irom I\t March IYX-I. will hc cntitlcd for the allotment according to their brrial numbers. First of all the plots on the land Bihwcwadi S.No. 67OLh71 will he allotted After this allotment, the plots on Bibwcuadi I and II will he distrihutcci.

Bih\vewadi I Bihwewadi S.No. h7Cl. 671 672. 673. 670, 678. 680. 6x1 Bibvewadi II Rihwewadi S.No. ~~3Y. h-ill. h-15 to 61s. 6%~ 661. 665. 066. (ii) The allotment thus made will he pro\ islonal and made final alter the personal contribution IS deposited

in the bank. (iii) If the allotment i\ demanded groupwise. It can bc given provided (i) and (ii) arc balid. (iv) The cxchangc of plot with mutual conbent k allo\+cd. (v) The plots in Bibwcwadi II will he allottcd to those \lurn d\\eller~ who have not sanctmned the hank loan

or who have eiven choice for O/IO (vi) The plots will hc 01 the \iztls 775. 300 and 400 x1. It each and wll bc allotted as pc‘r sales mentwned in

the circular. (vii) All the right\ of linal allotment k rcscrved hy the .Municipal C‘ommiasioncr. Punt. The suggestions for the choice of house arc as follows. (i) Form No. 7 is to be filled in in order IO give the choice of the house. (ii) The construction of both t>pra of hours is being btartcd in advance in order to avoid delay. (iii) Out of the two choices. the order of prefcrcnce should be mentioned as 1st choice and 2nd choice. The

1st choice house will he allotted as far as po\sihlc. If the 1st choice i\ not availahlc only then the 2nd choice will lx allotted. The decisions in the context will bc tahcn according to demand from slum dwellers in writing.

(iv) Considering the specification. coat and quality. the Standing Committee has recommended the tenders of two contractor-s ~,iz. Buildwell Construction Company and R.G. Shirkc & Co.

(v) All the rights of final :illotment of plot of house or 0110 is reserved hy the Munlclpal Commissioner. Pune. You are I-equestcd to read the Form No. 7 carelullq and fill 1n same.

287

Slum Control Dept Form No. 7

Identity Card No. Bank Account No.

Pune Municipal Corporation

Consent letter of choice of type of house. (This form &>uld he filled in after carefully reading circular\ No. 2 and 2A).

Subject: regarding participation in the rehabilitation achemc for slum dwellers raiding near and along the Parvati Right Bank Mutha Canal and the choice of type of house.

Sir. I wish to participate in the above-mentioned schcmc. I have opened an account in the Bank of Maharashtra

by depositing Rs. :- 3s the part of my personal contribution. I have applied for the loan at the Bank of Mnharashtr~~‘Social Welfare Dept and the loan will hc sanctioned shortly.

I have thoroughly examined the %lmple houses constructed at Bibwewadi S.No. 670-671 and I have full information regarding the specification and co\t of the type of house. For loanisubsidylpersonal contribution I am rccciving, conaidcring all the above facts carefully. 1 am giving in writing the following choice of house.

The cost of the house will hc paid hy mc by way of loan/suhsidy!peraonal contribution to the Pune Municipal Corporation and after getting the po$aession I will hand over the vacant possession of the old residence to P.M.C.

I will supervise the work while the construction is in progrcas. I will make necessary additions/alterations at my own co\t with the permission of the Punt Municipal Corporation authority and I will pay the cost directly to the contractor after consulting the Pune Municipal Corporation Authority.

256sqm

276 sq m

I 8m (26’-3”) I

Road

I fm I 45m I Z-05m IO 45m

l!AB 9:3/4-s

(1) (2) (3)

(4) (5) (6) (7)

(8) (9

( 11))

(11) (12)

(13)

Contractor

Actual plinth Carpet area Foundation

Plinth Walling (external)

Walling (common) Flooring Roofing

Finishing

Doors

Window5

Special fcaturcs Special arrangement

(13) Construction 01 house

Choice of house Yes or no Lea5,e + Bcttcr- ment charges Rs. Total cost

B.G. Shirhe Ly: Co.

I.35 \c,. It (12.51SM) 12\rl.ft(II.?~SM)

Solid hloch on concrete pile foundation if neccwar1 Solid concrctc hlocli masonr!

Hollon concrc’tc block maaonr! Hollow concrete hloch masonr!

Plain cement tile\ Slporcx slab \\ith waterproofing Smooth plaatcr insidc: plaster out\idt

Polynorm frame \vith ,junglc teah wootl with painting and fixture\ R.C.C. Grill Outside platform tact

I. If plain cement filch not rquired deduction of Rs. -ISOb.

2. Pile foundation if requlrcd at the coat of contractor.

Rs. 9)12Ob-

Priority No.

IJI q. It (Ii I I SM) I I7 X1. tt ( lO.S7 SM) Euca\ ation to the rcqulwd dcp’h

concrc‘tc and \‘C‘R Mnsonrv VCR Masonry up tu 1’3” (% cm) U” (33 cm) thich B.B. Masonr!

B.B. Mawnrk Rough .ddr&d i\.(‘. orC.G.1. \hccts Smooth plaster insidc; rough cast out\ldc with dl\tcmper

Angle iron trame with iron sheet shutter with paint R.C.C‘. (;rill

Rs. 7.800:- Pnority No. 276,.300,J00 \q. ft.

While @ins the choice priority No. I and 2 should he CICXly written a\ well as the arca of plot. I will construct on my own on the ot&l allotted to me. I may be gi\cn an o/ro plot 01 only 276 ~1. ft (35.6 q.

m.). I may he sanctioned the loan amount of Rs. cquiwlcnt to the total cobt of plot + howc minus my own

contribution as mentioned ahove.