Architecture for slum dwellers has always been momentous in the community of architecture. Slums and informal settlements are persuasive and have become a component of the urban landscape. Numerous innovative projects have been implemented and experimented with to reduce the proliferation of slums in India and foster better living conditions for its dwellers.   

Knocking down the homes of the urban poor cannot be the primary solution to making the country slum-free. Overcrowded cities, inadequate land, and skyrocketing property costs push people to move into informal settlements. To achieve a slum-free status, one needs to analyze the root cause of its proliferation.

Expansion of Slums in India

Thinking about slums, what comes to our minds is an image of a dense and compact community with narrow lanes and ragged structures. Slums are ubiquitous and are often perceived as densely crowded and substandard areas. However, the urban poor communities are one of the potential contributors to the growth of a nation. Amidst the rapid urbanization, there has been a surge of migrating populations. Numerous people migrate from small towns and villages to developing urban cities in search of opportunities and better living standards.

In the name of slum rehabilitation, the squatters and slum dwellers are forced to relocate from horizontal slums into bounded multistoried apartments that disturb the entire social and cultural dynamics that have been built over the years. The livelihoods of a vast group of people are not compatible with living in a vertical arrangement. Approach towards the urban poor shall be conscious. Along with building affordable homes for the community, encouraging their social dynamics within the built environment should be taken into consideration while designing.

Sustainable urban planning can prove beneficial in urban slum development. Access to essential services like clean water, sanitation, and electricity is paramount and would assist predominantly in improving the hygiene and comfort of the slum dwellers. Urban Planning shall be more inclusive and form a holistic and comprehensive solution. Overcrowding can be prevented by planning an optimal density of people for specific regions that can maximize the efficient use of land and restrict people from building unauthorized settlements. Experts have thoughtfully crafted coherent approaches to planning various housing projects. Each approach offers unique solutions and strategies for dealing with the persistent slums.

The Inclusive Approach

Marginalizing the slum dwellers from the urban development restricts access to primary services required for living a decent life. The inclusive approach suggests that designers and slum dwellers should jointly work on building a better environment. This participatory approach, if implemented, can not only benefit the inhabitant but also ease the process. Involving residents in planning helps to comprehend their requirements and social structure, and curate a personalized design accordingly. Ergo, many community architecture projects have been brought to life. One of the eminent projects and incentives in building a community is the Slum Networking Project in Ahmedabad. This project emphasizes involving these communities in the design process to formulate sustainable solutions for the slum inhabitants. 

Sustainable and Low-Cost Housing

Architects and urban planners make constant efforts to find resilient and sustainable housing solutions. Innovative slum housing designs have a notable impact on the micro and macro climate, which results in the reduction of the carbon footprint of the individual structures. Low-cost housing design can be achieved by using locally sourced materials for construction which would help save considerable cost. Opting for innovative yet affordable alternatives is the need of the hour. Hovels are home to numerous migrants and people falling under economically weaker sections of the country as withstanding high land and property rates seems non-viable. Residing in a planned brick-and-mortar house is more than just a necessity for these people. 

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, an incentive by the government to introduce low-cost housing projects for the people to combat the longing issue of urban housing shortage is an outstanding initiative. The target beneficiaries of this project include the urban poor, labourers, industry workers, and many more. Peculiar aspects of this program ensure all housing units have adequate water and electricity supply, infrastructure, and a better quality of life for the poor.

Economic disparity restricts inhabitants from accessing and utilizing preliminary services. Efforts from the architects and planners, with the support of government schemes contribute to the mission of a Slum-free India. Extensive research, interaction, planning, and tweaking the paradigm and policies a little can help us attain a conducive solution to the lasting issue of slums. Architecture can support and ameliorate the well-being and quality of life of slum dwellers. It can foster health, safety, and resilience in the community. Social, economic, and cultural contexts are the fragments of a country that, when neatly woven, form a strong and developing nation. Yet, multiple innovative housing schemes and policies that prove to be a permanent solution to slums are still debatable.  

Sources

• https://www.counterview.net/2023/04/designing-for-inclusion-how.html
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/what-slums-can-teach-us-about-building-the-cities-of-the-future/
• https://pmaymis.gov.in/
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/putting-poor-in-vertical-slums-does-not-make-for-safe-housing-experts/articleshow/104227240.cms