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World Class Cities FOR ALLl!! 

Inclusive Planning For The Working Poor  

International Conference on Urban Planning and Policy Development

Delhi, India

 Delhi University Dept. of Social Work, 14-16^th April 2008

Background, Platform and Demands to Governments/Municipalities

Delhi is witnessing massive infusion of resources for improving the image of the city before the advent of the Commonwealth Games. While one cannot (should not) oppose plans that improve the infrastructure of a city, it is also important to note that these plans do not have any scope for including the working  urban poor into its folds. As a result we can see that there is a campaign to remove the urban poor from the city. Slums are being demolished and the residents are moved to distant locations, far from their places of work. Street vendors too face the same wrath of the authorities so as the other workers. There is massive eviction of street vendors from the major areas. The more vulnerable sections especially women and children are most affected by these moves.

Delhi is not an isolated case As India urbanizes faster than ever and with infusion of funds like JNURM , the scenario across the country appears gloomy for the working poor. In search of a good livelihood, they land themselves in hellish condition. Along with this ,is the poor urban governance coupled with exploitative urban mafia. Unfortunately, the Municipal Corporations are not prepared for this imminent urban explosion which harms the poor more than the rich. The bigger tragedy is that cities are also not learning from each other. Each is experimenting and talking only to itself.

The context

Urbanization is growing at a pace never witnessed before. Flight of population to the urban centers has been necessitated by a number of factors including depleting employment opportunities in the rural areas, uneven growth of services sector concentrating more in the urban centers and skewed development of basic infrastructure in the urban centers. Urban centers are developing as the exalted seats of power, control,regulation and unbound opportunities. Urban centers have the connotation of being elite centric, prosperity and comfort. Urban centers being perceived as centers of growth and opportunity are causing social tensions and conflict as the ‘first settlers’ suffer threat perception of invasion by the ‘subsequent arrivals’. Such tensions are also reflecting in the formation of ‘regional identities’ and ‘ghettos’ within a given conglomerate which has a telling influence on the national integration.

Urban planning and development: Who plans? Who benefit? Who suffer?

Urban planning is gradually becoming a mechanical and highly technical exercise. Those at the helm of affairs of planning suffer insensitivity and impersonal. Because it is considered a highly specialized domain the involvement of the lower rung is considered uncalled for unnecessary. As a result the interests and concern of the underdogs is not taken into account. The urban planning and development helps the miniscule proportion of the professionals, higher order service providers, the elites and dominant groups who enjoy the better services components. The victims are the urban poor who suffer the brunt of displacement and drudgery as the common facilities are neither inclusive not adequate to meet their requirements.

Dysfunctional consequences of urban planning and development

Who is the urban planning meant for?: While the urban centers are geared to take care of the elite population it is the poor who benefits the least. While the MNCs, because of highly sophisticated and specialized nature of their product, processes and services have the involvement of highly specialized professionals they add to their kitty and the poor has no substantial benefits. They (the MNCs) consume basic common resources disproportionately where as the poor are left to suffer as they do not have the opportunity to enjoy the basic necessary facilities. The common facilities like drinking water, common and toilet and electricity meant for the urban poor are so ill maintained they badly influence their quality of life.

Those who maintain the cities hardly enjoy the facilities: The management of the city waste and services is in the hands of the poor who suffer various vulnerabilities of  various kinds of contaminations which prove hazardous. Facilities for their quarantine and hygienic cleaning after the services are neither adequate nor scientific. This is in contravention of the principle of human dignity for a vocation.

The modern terms of trade are anti-poor: With the coming in of the organized multinationals in the retail marketing the poor vendors are suffering displacement which robs them off their livelihoods opportunities and options. The reliance outlets spreading all over the country is definitely going to drive the retail vendors out of business. More than the business the relationship between the producers and the retailers is going to be completely monetized and impersonal. The emerging business relationship is creating negative influence on the social capital.

The modern planning leads to criminalization: As soon as a new development takes place the poor are displaced and relocated to remote obscure locations. Being uprooted is not only dysfunctional in terms of losing social moorings but also in terms of uprooting livelihoods opportunities. How can one commute to the centers of work is seen as an afterthought consideration. Losing opportunities for employment and livelihoods leads to desperate actions and criminalization. This is not only against the peace and discipline of the city but also against the national interest as subversive activities may go unnoticed.               

In sum

The modern urban planning is dysfunctional, promotes exclusion of the poor and therefore needs added attention. World Class City for All (WCCA) campaign must take into consideration the above aspects.

World Class City for All (WCCA) campaign and the international workshop

If urbanization is inevitable then what it has to be like? Should it consider and address the views and needs of a dominant few or it has to represent and cater to the needs of all who inhabit and are part of it? Considering the exclusion of the poor and the marginalized WCCA campaign seeks to visualize a world class city suitable for all specially the poor and the marginalized. Then the question what it has to be like-needs to be addressed to and the campaign geared and directed to achieve the ideal situation?

Going by the vision of a World Class City for All such a city should consider the following issues:

1. Inclusive planning: Which means planning should consider the needs, aspirations, values and preference of all those who form the city and are potentially,
2. Democratic and participative management: The city should have participative planning and management of city affairs so that decisions do not unnecessarily and unjustifiably hurt the poor and marginalized where as the dominant population enjoy the benefits. The resident welfare associations are good development but they are popular and relevant in the well off localities with stable population. The unstable population of poor do not identify with common issues and therefore do not unite in a formidable collective,
3. Dynamic and flexible: The social situations are changing dynamically and the norms of relocations and rehabilitations may not be fixed and rigid. They have to change with the changing situation and circumstances. Therefore, the norms of city planning and management have to be flexible and dynamics in conformity with the changing situations, 
4. Rationalizing amenities on the principles of the minimum: Modern cities are violating the minimum consideration for human dignities. While five star world class amenities are available to the few majority of the poor are left with the crippling and subhuman amenities. The basic amenities of drinking water, toilet and drainage facilities are undermined for the poor communities the rich have the vulgar show of their wealth in enjoying resources and energy intensive facilities. This goes beyond the principles of  human dignity .This should not be acceptable,
5. Integrative planning: Cities, today, are planned and evolve according to population of a specific class/demographic characteristic-businessman, professional groups and so forth. This causes social hiatus and rift. The poor pushed to remote obscure locations remain isolated which alienate them further. This creates criminalization and other anti-social activities detrimental to the social order and harmony. The urban planning should take care of and allow diversities to offer a vibrant social face.
6. Forced evictions caused by manipulated emergencies: In general, evictions are not based on rational and logical reasons. Most often than not emergencies are doctored to warrant evictions. The coming in of government projects, housing societies and coming together of some influential persons for a project causes evictions of poor. In the absence of alternative rehabilitation strategies the poor stand to lose.   

  Issues for the Conference

  Following issues are  to be highlighted and discussed during the workshop:   

1. Policies
• Participative vs centralized
• Technological-‘What is appropriate’? 
• Ensuring equity and justice including gender
• Integrative vs zoning

2. Capacities
• Capacities of planners
• Sensitization of planners, bureaucrats and politicians
• Capacities and orientation of the unorganized poor 

3. Civil society and pressure groups
• Current focus of the civil society organizations
• Existing capacity
• Strategy for network and advocacy
• Bringing poor at the fore front of advocacy and pressure

4. Up scaling and policy integration
• What to upscale
• How to upscale and
• When to upscale

NASVI  is soliciting the co-operation of interested organisations to join its World Class Cities for All (WCCA) campaign in India, in which NASVI  is challenging the traditional elitist approach to building “World Class Cities” and seeking to create a new, more inclusive concept of “World Class Cities for All” with the participation of street vendors and other groups of the Working poor. The campaign will have a strong focus on women and other vulnerable street vendors who are the first to lose their livelihoods and the most invisible in most plans for “World Class Cities”. The campaign partners enjoy complete freedom at all times to associate with or disassociate/withdraw from the campaign – provided only that this should be done in a transparent manner.  

The campaign partners seek the following

1. National Policy Dialogue to be organized for public debate between government officials, Commonwealth games structures, WCCA campaign partners and other representatives of poor and marginalized constituencies

2. Inclusion of poor communities and constituencies in decision-making on all issues that have a bearing on them.
3. Equal opportunities for ALL to benefit from the fast growing cities.
4. Provision of decent and affordable services for the poor and workers in the informal economy – such as transport, security, water and electricity.
5. Training of enforcement agents about the relationship between their enforcement obligations and the spatial regulation, land and property rights, development and livelihood issues of the urban poor.
6. Community participation in the fight against crime to ensure  safe cities – and to ensure that crime-fighting initiatives are not side-tracked into police operations against vulnerable groups (such as street vendors, foreigners, homeless and landless) at the expense of effective actions to stop the real criminals.
7. Moratorium on all evictions (from land, housing or street livelihoods) pending negotiations with the democratically elected representatives of affected parties

WCCA DEMANDS TO GOVTS/MUNICIPALITIES 

1. Formally adopt an inclusive concept of “World Class Cities for All” with the participation of street vendors and other groups of the (urban) poor – with a strong focus on women and other vulnerable street vendors who traditionally have been the first to lose their livelihoods and be the most invisible in previous plans for “World Class Cities”.

2. Undertake to ensure that no individual or group of street vendors shall be unduly disadvantaged by any urban improvement or urban renewal initiatives in preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

3. Undertake that any relocation of street vendors, informal market vendors or hawkers in operation prior to any urban improvement or urban renewal initiatives shall necessarily include viable and acceptable alternatives which are accessible to even the poorest traders, including women and traders with disabilities.

4. Undertake to engage in participatory consultative processes with any persons or interest groups who may be affected in any substantive or material manner by any aspect of urban improvement or urban renewal initiatives envisaged in the creation of World Class Cities.

5. Undertake to engage in social dialogue or substantive negotiations with any potentially affected persons or groups or their democratically elected representatives, in any situation where urban improvement or urban renewal initiatives may have a bearing on their work or livelihood.

6. Establish multi-stakeholder negotiating forums in each city to ensure inclusive non-sectarian negotiations and consultations processes, guided by National Policy  adopted by the Govt of india in 2004

-   local govt. representation to include regulators as well as enforcement agents, and association representatives;

-   street vendors to be directly represented by their own elected representatives, with due regard to the representation of women (in the proportions in which they are found on the streets) and vendors with disabilities;

-   street vendors operating as fronts for small or big business, or with substantive conflicts of interest, will not be regarded as bona fide street vendors’ representatives;

-   forum structures to be determined with participation by all parties to avoid unintended marginalisation or de facto closed shop situations;

World Class Cities for all !!  

Inclusive Planning for the Working Poor !!  

Negotiation and social dialogue !!  

Nothing for us without us !!

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