Inner City Housing

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Inner City Renewal: Lessons from the Indian

experience - HOUSING

Dewan Verma, Gita. "Inner City Renewal: Lessons from the Indian experience."HabitatInternational: a Journal for the Study of Human Settlements1, no. 1 !1#$: 11%1#&.

'eywords:(r)anism,(r)an Renewal,*l+msand Inner City

he rapid -rowth of cities in recent decades has p+t +r)an planners in an +nenia)le

position of /desperately tryin- to cope0, a position that has made for a tendency to placethe pro)lems of +r)an deelopment in a perspectie of +antity rather than +ality, of

proision rather than +p2eep. 3 preocc+pation with the desi-n and deelopment of new

areas has come to )e typical of plannin- a-encies thro+-ho+t the deelopin- world.

4heneer +p-radin- wor2s are carried o+t, it is as one%time pro5ects conceied as

cheaper s+)stit+tes for proidin- new ho+sin-. his apart, maintenance and +p2eep of

existin-, partic+larly old, areas has )een rele-ated to the )ac2 seat.

his has at least somethin- to do with the relatie simplicity of tas2s of plannin- new

deelopments as compared to the intimidatin-ly complex nat+re of iss+es related to

interentions for old areas. hese incl+de, in addition to the more comprehensi)le

pro)lems relatin- to str+ct+re and infrastr+ct+re and fallin- within the domain of

/ho+sin- plannin-0, a n+m)er of lesser +nderstood pro)lems relatin- to mar2et factors,

redeelopment interests, rent control, etc., and fallin- o+t of this domain into the wider

area of /+r)an plannin-0. Inner city renewal interentions c+rrently in practice in

co+ntries s+ch as India are, indeed, -eared to the /ho+sin- plannin-0 rather than the

/+r)an plannin-0 dimension of the inner city pro)lem and are conceied not erydifferently from, say, +p-radin- strate-ies for s+atter areas or s+)standard peripheral

deelopments.

4hile conentional +p-radin- is +ndo+)tedly an important part of inner city renewal, itis, neertheless, only a part. Interentions in inner city areas need to incl+de m+ch more

and, in payin- d+e attention to this wider comprehension, to incl+de conentional

components in not so conentional ways. 4hat s+ch interentions co+ld )e li2e is the

s+)5ect of this article which appraises India0s experience with inner city renewal thro+-h

two case st+dies, analysin- the )asic factors constrainin- )etter performance, and

delineatin- a framewor2 for addressin- the inner city pro)lem.

n ppraisal of the Indian !xperience

In 161 there were, in old ho+sin- areas thro+-ho+t India, as many as 1.& million

dwellin- +nits1, representin- nearly a twentieth of the total ho+sin- stoc2 and

accommodatin-, perhaps, nearly 17 million people. 8er years of socio%c+lt+ral and

political chan-es, these areas hae experienced tremendo+s transformations and hae
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come to demonstrate some typical characteristics. he a-ein- ho+sin- stoc2 is often in

str+ct+rally poor condition d+e to a com)ination of factors incl+din- a-e, inade+ate

maintenance and the press+res of oer+se. 8n acco+nt of intense s+)%diisions, the

occ+pancy rates are hi-h and oercrowdin- and small +nits are typical. here is +s+ally a

lar-e amo+nt of rental stoc2. 9hysical infrastr+ct+re does exist )+t, desi-ned for few and

+sed )y many, it is +s+ally stressed and the dense, sometimes or-anic, patterns ofdeelopment may )e +na)le to accommodate extensions. Intensie mixed land +ses are

characteristic and most inner city areas are ma5or economic centres. he scale of

commerce is +s+ally lar-e and t+rnoer is hi-h, )+t, paradoxically, the residents are

-enerally low%income and often en-a-ed in informal sector actiities, +s+ally home%

)ased and hain- stron- horiontal inter%lin2a-es. 8n acco+nt of traffic con-estion and

poll+tion and of incompati)le land +ses there may )e serio+s enironmental pro)lems.

3lso, inner city areas often hae a )ad trac2 record with re-ard to comm+nal politics,

riots and hi-h crime rates.

he earliest interentions affectin- Indian inner cities, apart from the somewhatinconse+ential road widenin- and )ea+tification schemes of the City Improement

r+sts, were, perhaps, Rent Control and *l+m le-islation. In most cities, the Rent Control3ct is the -reatest, if not the excl+sie, instance of p+)lic sector interention in inner city

areas. here is no do+)t that the meas+re, )y maintainin- rents at afforda)le leels, has

helped sta)ilise low%income -ro+ps in residential nei-h)o+rhoods which they wo+ld hae

otherwise lost. ;oweer, seeral ne-atie effects are -enerally accepted &and, ar-+a)ly,

rent control has contri)+ted to poor maintenance of old ho+sin- stoc2, serio+sly

compo+ndin- the inner city pro)lem. *l+m le-islation also occ+pies a central place in the+r)an renewal scenario of the co+ntry and a n+m)er of earlier


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proposals for the renewal of the walled city of Delhi, which, )y and lar-e, ta2e an area%

)ased approach, attemptin- to address inner city pro)lems on a )roader footin-.

"H! #O$#% CS!

he area c+rrently 2nown as Greater >om)ay, delineated as s+ch in 1@1, consists of theisland city of >om)ay and the s+)+r)an areas, extendin- oer A#6 2m& with an estimated

pop+lation of 17 million.A3 lar-e section of the cityBs poor lie in chawls, which lar-elyconstit+te dilapidated ho+sin- in >om)ay, and which are referred to here as its inner city

ho+sin-, tho+-h strictly spea2in-, they are to )e fo+nd as often o+tside the core city as

well. Chawlsdate )ac2 to the t+rn of the cent+ry when lar-e n+m)ers of sin-le mi-rant

la)o+rers were accommodated, in the a)sence of a planned ho+sin- strate-y, lar-ely )y

the priate sector, in small sin-le or two%roomed tenements with common facilities.

ho+-h each +nit paid a small rent, the a--re-ate of these rents was s+fficiently hi-h to

ma2e s+ch ho+sin- s+pply attractie to the priate sector. 3fter the t+rn of the cent+ry, the

9ort r+st also started constr+ctin- similar ho+sin- for rentin- to its employees.Percapita space was low and density hi-h to start with, )+t shorta-e res+lted in f+rther

oercrowdin-. 3lso, most mi-rants )ro+-ht their families. h+s str+ct+re and facilities,

desi-ned for a few and +sed )y many, )e-an to deteriorate m+ch faster than wo+ld hae

)een the case normally and dilapidation has come to )e a perasie phenomenon and

eery year oer 177 )+ildin-s collapse.@

In 1=, the state -oernment enacted the >om)ay >+ildin- Repairs and Reconstr+ction

>oard !>>RR>$ 3ct where)y the >>RR> was set +p, with representation of the >om)ay

oard, as a means for preserin-,

thro+-h ens+rin- timely repairs or reconstr+ction, the existin- ho+sin- stoc2 in the areas

coered )y the 3ct and cessed +nder its proisions.=he >oardBs scope of interention

extends to three areas: !1$ repairs of cessed )+ildin-s proided the cost of repairs is

within the ceilin- limit prescri)ed )y the 3ct? !&$ reconstr+ction of cessed )+ildin-sdeemed )eyond economic repair? and !#$ proision of transit accommodation to

occ+piers of cessed )+ildin-s that collapse or are +nder repairreconstr+ction.

or carryin- o+t str+ct+ral repairs to cessed )+ildin-s, an area%wise priority list is

prepared )ased on a ro+tine appraisal of dilapidated )+ildin-s )y the >oard +nderta2es repairs. 8nly affected parts of )+ildin-s arerepaired and parts of )+ildin-s are only replaced if strictly necessary.


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ma5ority of )+ildin-s hae )een repaired )y the >oard, the n+m)er of )+ildin-s repaired

)y occ+pants is )y no means insi-nificant.6

Reconstr+ction schemes are prepared for )+ildin-s deemed )eyond economic repair and

hae to proide for a floor area occ+pied )y the tenants s+)5ect to a maxim+m limit of =6

m& and a minim+m of [email protected]= m& in +nits with common 4Cs and 1=.7 m& in self%contained +nits. Relaxations to the deelopment control r+les hae )een introd+ced,

permittin- hi-her tenement densities, additional )+ildin- hei-ht and -reater *I. In cases

where the plot is small in area or narrow in width so that a )+ildin- cannot )e planned, a

com)ined reconstr+ction scheme may )e prepared )y incl+din- ad5oinin- plots. 8nce a

reconstr+ction scheme is administratiely approed and land ac+isition proceedin-s are

completed, the reconstr+ction wor2 is started. Reconstr+cted )+ildin-s are +s+allyconentional RCC frame str+ct+res with )ric2 panel walls. he +nits are allotted to the

old occ+piers on a rental )asis. he 3ct also proides for -rantin- BEo%o)5ection

certificatesB !E8C$17to owners for reconstr+ction !s+)5ect to a n+m)er of conditions,

mainly that all existin- tenants )e accommodated in the proposed reconstr+cted )+ildin-$,or to a cooperatie society formed )y at least 7F of the occ+piers, which is expected to

raise A7F of the estimated cost and the >oard arran-es the rest as a loan from the;o+sin- and (r)an Deelopment Corporation !;(DC8$, a national leel ho+sin-

finance instit+tion.11

*eeral proced+ral pro)lems are enco+ntered in the implementation of the >>RR9. In the

repair pro-ramme, it is, to )e-in with, ery diffic+lt to hae a Bpriority listB )ased +pon

so+nd str+ct+ral analysis as it is practically impossi)le to thoro+-hly s+rey, in the entire

inner city, str+ct+ral mem)ers that are often hidden in the thic2ness of the walls, and there

is, )esides, the Bnon%technicalB pro)lem that eery ward m+st hae a BfairB share of the

)+ildin-s on the priority list. 3nother pro)lem is whether to remoe tenants to transitaccommodation !there)y disr+ptin- their socio%economic lin2a-es$ or to let them stay

!there)y slowin- down the pace of the wor2$. 9erhaps the most serio+s pro)lems pertain

to post%pro-ramme maintenance. he ass+mption that repairs add 1@ years to the life of a

)+ildin- pres+pposes a fair leel of maintenance which seldom comes a)o+t and, in many

cases, )+ildin-s hae come for second or third ro+nds of repairs m+ch earlier, and

sometimes een collapsed.

Reconstr+ction schemes are often faced with inordinate delays and )ottlenec2s: land

ac+isition !and liti-ation$, technical approals for plans, ref+sal of tenants to acate, etc.

>esides, they entail pro)lems relatin- to p+)lic sector landlordism. Eon%payment of rentsis common and a s+rey in the mid%167s reealed that a ma5ority of families had rentarrears.1&3-ain, maintenance is -enerally ne-lected and reconstr+cted )+ildin-s start

loo2in- li2e dilapidated ones in a few years. In fact, while it is often ar-+ed that repairs

are temporary sol+tions which 5+st postpone reconstr+ction, experience has shown that

reconstr+ction is also far from a permanent sol+tion inasm+ch as many reconstr+cted

)+ildin-s are soon d+e for repairs.
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In many cases the >oardBs transit tenements are also in need of repairs. 3lso, since transit

accommodation is mostly in s+)+r)an locations, people are -enerally +nwillin- to moe

to it, more so since the sie of accommodation is on a red+ced scale. In any case, the

&&,A transit tenements that the >oard has represent a)o+t a fifth of the estimated

re+irement for transit accommodation and the financial and land reso+rces needed to

improe this state of affairs are hard to come )y.1#

>esides these proced+ral pro)lems there are certain )roader limitations of the >>RR9. o

)e-in with, the pro-ramme is somewhat narrowly limited in scope, not only in the sense

of ta2in- a limited perspectie of the inner city pro)lem !to which I shall ret+rn in the

next part of this article$ )+t of f+rther confinin- scope within the limited perspectie. or

instance, the pro-ramme is confined to the island city while the massie s+)+r)an areasalso contain tenanted )+ildin-s re+irin- repairs. It does not coer )+ildin-s )elon-in- to

p+)lic a-encies, altho+-h these are in no )etter condition than others. It is restricted to

residential )+ildin-s and p+rely commercial )+ildin-s are exempted from cess. In fact,

many )+ildin-s that were cessed earlier hae )een decessed on -ro+nds of chan-e in +se.heir need for repairs is not li2ely to hae miti-ated tho+-h. 3-ain, in specifyin- a tar-et

of a)o+t &7,777 )+ildin-s to )e repaired in 17 years, the pro-ramme ta2es a static iew ofa pro)lem which, in fact, is not li2ely to disappear eer. or instance, some )+ildin-s

constr+cted in the 17s are already in need of repairs and others repaired )y the >oard

hae )een thro+-h, or are ready for, a second or een third ro+nd of repairs. 3 ma5or

pro)lem pertains to serio+s constraints of finance. 3s per the proisions of the 3ct, the

>oard receies a -rant from the >oardBs financesare the repair cess that it recoers from )+ildin-s coered )y the 3ct and the rent that it

recoers from tenements in reconstr+cted )+ildin-s. he cess, calc+lated on a differential

scale )ased +pon the a-e of the )+ildin- and its ratea)le al+e !as assessed for p+rposes

of property tax$ and lia)le for increase after repairs, is not ery efficiently recoered and

arrears are hi-h.1@he rent, tho+-h heaily s+)sidised, is often m+ch hi-her than what

the tenants paid to the priate landlords, and rent recoery is ery poor, fallin- short ofeen maintenance expenses, let alone recoerin- capital costs.1=9resently the f+nds

-enerated from m+nicipal and state contri)+tions and cess recoeries are of the order of

one%tenth of the f+nds re+ired.1

It may )e pertinent to mention here that the pro)lems and limitations noted a)oe hae,

indeed, receied the attention of the pro-ramme a-encies and the >>RR9 had )een

modified time and a-ain to ma2e it more effectie. o improe the financial sit+ation,)oth the stat+tory contri)+tions of the m+nicipal and state a-encies and the amo+nts of

cess recoera)le hae )een enhanced periodically. he proision for

repairsreconstr+ction )y )eneficiaries +nder the E8C arran-ement was also incorporated

in an attempt to red+ce the )+rden on the >oard. he proision for transfer of

reconstr+cted tenements to occ+pants on a cooperatie ownership )asis has also )een

recently introd+ced with a iew to diest the >oard of maintenance responsi)ilities and
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other pro)lems of p+)lic sector landlordism. In a different direction, an attempt at an area

approach in terms of renewal of a -ro+p of dilapidated )+ildin-s alon- with

infrastr+ct+ral +p-radation has also )een forthcomin-. hese modifications hae,

howeer, yet to ma2e a s+)stantial impact on the scheme of thin-s and their efficacy

remains constrained )y a n+m)er of other iss+es that contin+e to await addressal. or

instance, in iew of poor recoery, enhanced cess has sered to increase arrears morethan reso+rces, the lac2 of any s+)stantial incenties has constrained the inolement of

ownersocc+pants in, especially, reconstr+ction actiity, the a)sence of reasona)le terms

of allotment on ownership )asis, to-ether with the low rents and de-facto ownership of

p+)licly rented tenements, has res+lted in ery few ta2ers for the ownership proision,

and the area approach, tho+-h so+nd in principle, has not ta2en off )eca+se of seeral

instit+tional constraints. he last mentioned is also demonstrated )y the Delhi case,

which is disc+ssed next.

"H! &!LHI CS!

4ith a pop+lation of @. million in the 161 cens+s, Delhi is the third lar-est metropolis

in India and the capital of the co+ntry. Its walled city !*hah5ahana)ad$ was )+ilt in the

seenteenth cent+ry as the


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facilities. he 4in- has +nderta2en improements in a)o+t =@7 katras,&=a few

redeelopment schemes, constr+ction of 1= resettlement tenements, some transit

accommodation, some ni-ht shelters, shiftin- of a cycle mar2et and a doen or more

ind+stries.&9roposals for shiftin- actiities hae met with ery limited s+ccess and on

the whole, pro-ress has )een slow to the point of ne-li-i)le impact.&64hile concern for

the walled city contin+ed to )e oiced in seeral B+nofficialB +arters, it was not +ntil161, when the +t, to the extent that the action plan does not si-nificantly depart

from what was proposed more than a +arter%cent+ry a-o in the


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am)itio+s$, and to redeelop dilapidated katras to proide space for m+lti%facility

)+ildin-s, social infrastr+ct+re and open spaces !which was also proposed in the


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mo)ilised to or-anise a ;o+sin- *ociety !;*$ to )e the principal intermediary in the

reha)ilitation process and to contin+e afterwards as a residentsB association. he ;*, the

EG8 and the '9( wo+ld finalise the physicaleconomic feasi)ility of the pro5ect )y

refinin- the katrapro5ect proposals? the '9( wo+ld proceed with contractin-, sec+re

;(DC8 loan, finalise with the ;* the )+yersB costs and arran-ements re-ardin- down

payments and s+)se+ent repayments, and hand oer the finished wor2 to the ;*? the ;*wo+ld )e responsi)le for ro+tine repairsmaintenance of the collectie fa)ric? and, as the

;* deelops, the EG8 wo+ld withdraw and, hopef+lly, proceed to the next katra$

he proposals of the *4, DD3 coer two areas % physical proposal and Binstit+tional

innoationB. he physical proposal may well )e technically so+nd. >+t it is a proposal for

one o+t of 777 katras$ 8f co+rse it is intended as a Bdemonstration pro5ectB, )+t it seemsto hae )een desi-ned more as a one%time Bpro5ectB than as a replica)le BdemonstrationB.

here appears to )e no attempt at loo2in- at or plannin- for conditions that will facilitate

this demonstration effect, een in the most -eneral terms. Eor is there any disc+ssion of

the fact that the pro)lem is BdierseB rather than B-eneralB, )eyond a )rief mention thatthere exist, in a fair proportion, katra types other than the one whose section the pro5ect

represents. he Binstit+tional innoationB intended is Ba colla)oratie relationship )etweenthree deelopment actorsB % the '9(, the ;* !to )e mo)ilised$ and the EG8 !to )e

identified$, )+t 5+st how earnest the a+thors are a)o+t this Bcolla)oratie relationshipB is

clear from the fact that s+ch a detailed physical proposal has )een made een when two

of the actors hae yet to )e identified. Hen ass+min- that this colla)oration will come

to-ether, the BinnoationB is located in a ery narrow area of oerall instit+tional

arran-ements re+ired )y the pro)lem and altho+-h it is an essential part, it isneertheless only a small part. o )e-in with, the ery fact that two win-s of the same

a-ency hae p+t o+t two conc+rrent proposals which hae no reference to each other

ill+strates the implementation pro)lems that may )e expected.

n nalysis of Constraints

he intention here is not to exha+stiely s+mmarise all proced+ral pro)lems or to analyse

specific factors constrainin- )etter performance of renewal pro-rammes, )+t rather to

p+rs+e two )asic pre%re+isites for their proced+ral streamlinin-: !i$ +nam)i-+o+sproced+ral definition, and !ii$ ade+ate consideration of wider iss+es oer and a)oe

manifest pro)lems of inner city decay.

"H! 'RO#L!$ O( $#IGUOUS SOLU"IONS "O CO$'L!)

'RO#L!$

3m)i-+o+s proced+ral definition is, typically, not so m+ch a characteristic of )+ildin-%

oriented approaches as of area%oriented approaches. In the case of >om)ay, for instance,

proced+ral definition is, perhaps, +nam)i-+o+s in a technical sense inasm+ch as

proced+ral re+irements of )+ildin- repairs and reconstr+ction are, indeed, +nderstood.


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+rthermore, +nli2e many other cases, )+ildin- re-+lations hae )een s+ita)ly relaxed. In

the case of Delhi, on the other hand, the se+ence of interentions in terms of what

happens first, what follows what, what m+st necessarily )e accompanied )y what and so

on, is far from clear. he 994, DD3, for example, specifies the a)sol+te time frame for

each action recommended, )+t a se+ential phasin- of actions is conspic+o+sly a)sent.#@

3m)i-+ity )ecomes a serio+s limitation in the face of instit+tional arran-ements that are

typically not -eared towards implementin- anythin- )+t simply and +nam)i-+o+sly

desi-ned pro5ects. In Delhi, for instance, the renewal pro-ramme has )een +nder the

a+spices of the *l+m 4in- which, irrespectie of its capa)ilities or otherwise for

+nderta2in- minor +p-radin- wor2s, +ite simply does not hae the expertise to handle

the pro-ramme in its entirety. he instit+tional dimension of the pro)lemof katra renewal is, perhaps, "Bthe a)sence of a deelopment a-entB, which implies an

entity with s+fficient reso+rces, s2ills and motiation to maintain and

transform katras".#=

3 salient effect of the a)sence of clearly defined plannin- proced+res is that renewalinterentions are +lnera)le to interference )y ario+s interest -ro+ps which find it easy

to infl+ence details of implementation to their adanta-e. In Delhi, proposals in respect of

redeelopment and relocation hae hardly )een implemented on acco+nt, lar-ely, of

political interference. and B+r)an renewalB has )een restricted to politically less sensitie

areas s+ch as minor +p-radin- wor2s. 8f co+rse political interference is not +ni+e to

inner city areas nor to am)i-+o+sly defined plannin- proced+res and what is s+--ested

here is certainly not a ca+se%effect relationship )etween am)i-+o+s proced+ral definition

on the one hand and political interference on the other. Rather the simple point is made

that am)i-+ity ma2es for -reater +lnera)ility to politically manifest interference )y

ario+s interest -ro+ps and that this can )ecome a serio+s pro)lem in inner city areaswhere often conflictin- interest -ro+ps are 5+xtaposed.

Das !16#$ en+merates fie s+ch conflict areas which hamper inner city renewal

interentions.#irst, there is a conflict )etween property owners and property +sers

located in the interest of the former in p+ttin- the property )ac2 into the open mar2et forredeelopment and of the latter in str+--lin- for s+rial in the inner city. *econd, there

is a conflict )etween residential and commercial interests which s+rfaces when the

Bnat+rally eoled )alanceB )etween ario+s +ses, esta)lished in inner cities in the initial

sta-es of their or-anic eol+tion, comes to )e disr+pted. hird, there is a conflict )etween

Bho+sin- o)5ectiesB and Boerall +r)an plannin- o)5ectiesB arisin- from the fact thatwhile "ho+sin- a-encies, Ba+thoritiesB or B)oardsB loo2 for alternaties s+ch as BcheapBresidential redeelopments, )+ildin- repairs and +p-radin-. . . oerall +r)an o)5ecties

inescapa)ly fall into settin- alternaties )ased on BoptimalB +se of hi-h%al+e land".

o+rth, there exists, within )oth the p+)lic and the priate sector, a conflict )etween

o)5ecties on the one hand and capacity on the other. ifth, there is a conflict )etween
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plannin- intention and political will which manifests itself in a lac2 of political will to

+nderta2e ma5or reforms that planners perceie as necessary.

3s lon- as s+ch conflicts exist, clearly defined proced+res are necessary.


12/25

sole criterion for s+ch choices which are lar-ely the res+lt of wider policy perspectie of

the pro)lem. ;oweer, with inade+ate reso+rces, these choices can )e, and indeed are,

easily made, not least of all )eca+se cheaper sol+tions are often politically less sensitie.

Itis important to note that s+ch choices are different from a choice )etween, say, sites%

and%serices and )+ilt ho+sin- )eca+se prospectie interentions can )e iewed in terms

of sin-+lar options whereas retrospectie interentions -enerally need to )e )y way ofmore complex com)inations.

3n important point re-ardin- reso+rce constraints for inner city renewal is that there

appears to )e a sin-+lar lac2 of effort at reso+rce mo)ilisation. 8n the one hand, iss+es of

cost recoery and ten+re !which is closely related to cost recoery and post pro-ramme

maintenance$ hae receied nota)ly less attention than in other interentions. his has atleast somethin- to do with the different perceptions of retrospectie and prospectie

interentions, a notion that the former sho+ld )e lar-ely -oernment responsi)ility. 8n

the other hand, there is a persistent paradox pertainin- to the reso+rce potential that inner

cities afford. hey are Bmoney spinnersB, yet their t+rnoer does not contri)+te towardstheir improement. Interentions in them hae possi)ilities of cross s+)sidy, )+t these are

seldom ade+ately exploited. Ina sense it appears that where inner city interentionssho+ld )e iewed the same as other interentions, they are iewed differently !cost

recoery and ten+re iss+es$ and where they sho+ld )e iewed as different they are iewed

similarly !reso+rce potential$.

3 +estion that is ital to this disc+ssion of reso+rce constraints is to what extent sho+ld

renewal )e a p+rely p+)lic sector interention his, indeed, is a )asic +estion related to

the reso+rce constraints of the p+)lic sector in -eneral. Inthe case of inner cities, the role

of the priate sector J +sers, owners, entreprene+rs % ass+mes een -reater si-nificance as

coerin- their interest is closely lin2ed to proced+ral streamlinin-.

It sho+ld )e clear from the fore-oin- disc+ssion that many of the thin-s that hamper inner

city interentions are located in city%wide factors. heir resol+tion, so essential to

resolin- the inner city crisis, has, accordin-ly, to )e addressed in a city%wide

perspectie. *ome of the factors, s+ch as the interests of +sers and owners of property andthe matter of reso+rce constraints within the p+)lic sector hae direct implications for

proced+ral definition and for reso+rce mo)ilisation for retrospectie interentions for

inner city renewal. 8thers, s+ch as aspects related to the concentration of non%residential

actiities in inner city areas and to reconcilin- inner city and city plannin- hae, in

addition, implications for wider prospectie plannin-. he important point here is that tothe extent that een proced+ral streamlinin- is not ade+ately possi)le within a narrowperspectie, a wider iew is not only desira)le )+t necessary, and approaches to inner city

renewal need to )e s+)stantially )roader )ased.

"hree Le*els for ddressin+ Inner City &ecay and Renewal


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In the literat+re, the terms Bho+sin- renewalB and B+r)an renewalB are +sed interchan-ea)ly.

3rea approaches to ho+sin- renewal, in partic+lar, are +s+ally referred to as +r)an

renewal approaches. his article has fao+red the term Binner city renewalB )eca+se, in a

sense, the terms Bho+sin-B and B+r)anB connote different leels of iewin- the pro)lem,

while the term Binner cityB represents more closely the pro)lemper se$ B(r)an renewalB

o+-ht, perhaps, to address inner city pro)lems in a wider city%leel framewor2 and,inasm+ch, the >om)ay and Delhi cases respectiely ill+strate, essentially, a )+ildin-%

oriented and an area%oriented approach to housin% renewal$ >esides addressin-, as these

approaches do, iss+es pertainin- to ho+sin-, or ho+sin- and related infrastr+ct+re, inner

city renewal sho+ld aim at sec+rin- a )alanced mixed land +se pattern to ens+re s+fficient

economic opport+nity to residents while not +nd+ly hinderin- the residential f+nction.

he specific nat+re of interentions wo+ld ary. or instance, in areas with declinin-

traditional occ+pations andor sta-natin- economies, economic reitalisation wo+ld

)ecome an important -oal. If, on the other hand, there is ac+te commercial con-estion the

-oal wo+ld )e economic de%italisation or, at least delimitation. *+ch an approach which

considers, )esides ho+sin- and related !infrastr+ct+re$ pro)lems, other +r)an f+nctions ofinner cities co+ld )e considered an area approach to urban renewal$ Retrospectie

interentions in respect of ho+sin- or +r)an renewal wo+ld )e considera)ly expedited )y

prospectie plannin- interentions to control or slow down inner city decay.hisprospective renewal, so to spea2, co+ld )e a third leel for addressin- the inner city

pro)lem.

R!"ROS'!C"I,! IN"!R,!N"IONS: HOUSING N& R!L"!&

'RO#L!$S

Interentions directed at +p-radin- str+ct+ral and enironmental conditions, fallin- in thedomain of an area )ased approach to ho+sin- renewal, hae receied reasona)le attention

in literat+re and are disc+ssed only )riefly here, in terms not of choices and details of

techni+es !repairs s reconstr+ction, conseration s reha)ilitation or redeelopment,

etc.$, )+t of some -eneralisa)le iss+es pertainin- to implementation: some aspects of

comm+nity inolement and ten+rial and financial matters. he potential of +sersBinitiatie in ma2in- inner city renewal strate-ies s+ccessf+l is )ein- widely

ac2nowled-ed. his is lar-ely on the Bre)o+ndB as a res+lt of pro)lems, in the a)sence of

comm+nity participation, with implementation !scarce reso+rces and el+sie

Bnei-h)o+rhood impactsB$ and post%implementation aspects !maintenance and cost

recoery$. Eei-h)o+rhood or-anisations hae come to )e iewed as a way o+t of

diffic+lties inoled in -rantin- ten+re or channelin- f+nds to the inner city poor whileaoidin- mechanisms of their de%sta)ilisation. h+s collectie ten+rial arran-ements and

s+)sidies or other forms of financial assistance to residentsB or-anisations rather than to

indiid+al ho+seholds are )ein- increasin-ly adocated.#In >om)ay, there is a shift,

after nearly two decades of pro-ramme implementation, in this direction. In Delhi,

the katrapro5ect proposals enisa-e this at the o+t%start.
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he iss+e of comm+nity participation, in principle, can hardly )e ar-+ed a-ainst. >+t it

may )e remar2ed here that, all too often Benlistin-B comm+nity participation is tantamo+nt

more to B+sin-B the comm+nity than to Binolin-B the comm+nity. his is s+)stantiely

exemplified )y the case of Delhi where, after detailed technical proposals hae )een

drawn o+t, an EG8 has yet to )e identified to mo)ilise a residentsB association, and there

seems, )esides, a conspic+o+s lac2 of attention to how this comm+nity participation is to)e operationalised in that while the proposal re-ardin- implementation exha+stiely lists

ario+s proced+ral sta-es s+)se+ent to Bidentifyin- a s+ita)le EG8B to Bmo)ilise a

ho+sin- societyB, there is no mention of who is to ta2e responsi)ility for this and how it is

to )e carried o+t. Infact, the proposal has not ta2en off lar-ely )eca+se of this ery

reason.

R!"ROS'!C"I,! IN"!R,!N"IONS: O"H!R UR#N (UNC"IONS

Interentions fallin- in the domain of an area approach to +r)an renewal need to incl+de,

)esides those relatin- to str+ct+ral and infrastr+ct+ral +p-radation, those pertainin- toother typical pro)lems s+ch as remoal of incompati)le +ses, decon-estion thro+-h

residential relocation and, related to these, the co+nterin- of redeelopment interests of

property owners.

*ome amo+nt of relocation is indeed ital to resolin- pro)lems of inner city areas which

are inaria)ly characterised )y some form of con-estion or other. he main pro)lem in

this re-ard is that inner city actiities are inextrica)ly inter%lin2ed in ways that are little

+nderstood. here are, for instance, lin2a-es )etween enterprises that are typical to the

small firm type of economy and that re+ire physical propin+ity. here are also lin2a-es

)etween wor2 and residence which low%income ho+seholds in -eneral, and those en-a-ed

in home%)ased or traditional occ+pations in partic+lar, find cr+cial for their economic

s+rial. hen, of co+rse, there are lin2a-es with cons+mersc+stomers for-ed oer lon-

periods of time. 3ll these lin2a-es infl+ence, in -reat meas+re, pop+lar perception ofBincompati)leB +ses which, in -eneral, has formed the )asis of plannin- decisions

re-ardin- non%residential relocation. he remoal of incompati)le +ses is, +ndo+)tedly,

essential to sec+rin- a )etter +ality of residential life. >+t an important iss+e in this

re-ard pertains to what constit+tes Bnoxio+sB and Bo)5ectiona)leB. Decisions )y city

a+thorities in this re-ard are )ased on predetermined criteria which do not ma2e

allowances for pop+lar sanctions. "he res+lt co+ld )e stiflin- in terms of peopleBsaspirations and +nrealistic in terms of their re+irements. . . o)noxio+s ind+stries and

actiities o+-ht to )e redefined in terms of residentsB preferences".A7>+t a-ain, pop+larpreferences and ested interests are not often easily distin-+isha)le. his has implications

for some form of comm+nity participation which affords an ade+ate for+m for p+)lic

hearin-s in which ested interest -ro+ps are not oerly represented, which of co+rse is

easier said than done.
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3-ain, it simply may not )e possi)le to decentralise certain actiities. 8ne example

relates to efforts at relocatin- wholesale actiities in the cases of Delhi and >om)ay.

InDelhi, attempts at de%centralisin- wholesale mar2ets in different ones of the city hae

not s+cceeded whereas in >om)ay, where a new wholesale centre is simply replacin- an

existin- one, there are some si-ns of s+ccess.A1his is not to s+--est that complete

relocation is the only way )+t rather to demonstrate the complexity of the pro)lem.

3t this leel, a wider framewor2 of addressin- the inner city pro)lem in its wider +r)an

context )ecomes important. 8ne possi)ility re-ardin- relocation, explicitly or implicitly

adocated ery often, is to relocate to proximate locations. >esides the constrained

aaila)ility of land in central locations, efforts in this re-ard +s+ally s+ffer from some

other typical pro)lems. 8ne pro)lem area relates to desi-n and mana-ement aspects. hedesi-n of relocation pro5ects, more often than not, does not respond well to the

)ehaio+ral tendencies of +sers. Inthe case of Delhi, for instance, the ho+sin- proided

)y the *l+m 4in- to ho+se families relocated from redeelopment pro5ects in the walled

city was lar-ely +naccepta)le to +sers as it failed to ade+ately accommodate their!residential and other$ actiities. 3lso, deelopment of new areas and shiftin- of actiities

are often not s+fficiently coordinated and the new deelopments, on acco+nt of theircentral location, )ecome prone to Bt+rnoerB. 3nother pro)lem pertains to what co+ld )e

considered an artificial +naaila)ility of land. In ;ydera)ad, for instance, nearly a sixth

of the land in the inner city is acant, and therefore aaila)le in physical terms. ;oweer,

on acco+nt of inade+ateineffectie le-islatie deices, it is not aaila)le in real terms.

Diest of these pro)lems, which are mana-ement iss+es that can and o+-ht to )e

resoled, this possi)ility, altho+-h limited, is indeed +sef+l.

3nother, perhaps less limited, possi)ility is to com)ine delimitation with meas+res to

sec+re ol+ntary relocation )y entreprene+rs and residents. In the case of Delhi, forinstance, the idea of delimitin- non%residential actiity to its present leel has )een

proposed.A& It has, howeer, not )een p+rs+ed in detail. he approach is in a sense

politically less sensitie, and therefore more ia)le in terms of implementa)ility, than

forced relocation. >+t, perhaps, it has yet to B)e -ot +sed toB )y planners, implementors

and inner city comm+nities. he same applies to ol+ntary relocation. 3n awareness and

willin-ness has to )e stim+lated. 3t the same time, real options need to )e created. In this

re-ard incenties, rather than dis%incenties sho+ld )e tho+-ht a)o+t. his is not only

)eca+se dis%incenties are more in the spirit of BforcedB rather than Bol+ntaryB )+t also

)eca+se, in the a)sence of ade+ate political will and administratie machinery to ens+re

their enforcement, they are really a non%iss+e. Incenties co+ld ta2e the form of lin2in-residential and non%residential relocation !to s+stain wor2 residence relationships$ and

offerin- priority arran-ements, in allotment of residential, commercial and ind+strial

deelopments in other parts of the city, to inner city residents.

*+ch a city%wide framewor2 wo+ld also allow room for accommodatin- redeelopment

interests of property owners in inner cities which can )e a ma5or pro)lem in cases li2e
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>om)ay where a lar-e proportion of property is priately owned. In the Delhi case, this

pro)lem has not )een made explicit in any of the proposals as a)o+t half the properties

are -oernment owned. >+t it is too easily for-otten that the other half are not. It was

o)sered earlier that one way of compromisin- redeelopment interests co+ld )e thro+-h

compensation in real estate terms elsewhere. or most deelopment a+thorities, which

+se real estate deelopment as a so+rce of capitalisation, this mi-ht appear somewhat+naccepta)le. >+t it is important to appreciate that inner city pro)lems, partic+larly those

pertainin- to non%residential f+nctions and to mar2et factors, are located in city wide

considerations and their resol+tion has to )e so+-ht in the same framewor2.

'ROS'!C"I,! IN"!R,!N"IONS (OR INN!R CI"% 'LNNING

9olicy iss+es for prospectie plannin- that hae a direct )earin- on retrospectie

interentions in inner city areas, in a sense, complete the framewor2 for iewin- the inner

city pro)lem. 3 n+m)er of physical and fiscal plannin- iss+es wo+ld fall in the p+riew

of this area of policy iss+es. he followin- disc+ssion, howeer, is confined to two areasof physical plannin-: onin- practice and -eneral spatial plannin-.

In the last fo+r decades of IndiaBs town plannin- history, master plans of nearly all small

and lar-e towns hae adopted a system of onin- in preference to the traditional system

of mixed land +se. Ket, mixin- of non%residential +ses % +na+thorised and often

incompati)le % persists in nearly all 2inds of ho+sin- areas. 3 serio+s pro)lem pertainin-

to these +nintended mixed land +se patterns is the city%wide dis)alance in the extent and

nat+re of mixin-. 4hereas certain, +s+ally hi-h%income, ho+sin- areas hae low leels of

mixed land +se, others, especially low income and BinformalB ones, hae extensiely

mixed land +ses often at the cost of the +ality of their residential f+nctionin-. his is

partic+larly tr+e for inner city areas where pre%existin- non%residential +ses, locational

adanta-es, slac2 enforcement of re-+lations, etc., hae made for self perpet+atin- mixed

land +se patterns. It is important to mention in this re-ard that city%wide mixed land +sepatterns are in response to city%wide +ser comp+lsions. In low%income, non%formal

ho+sin- areas, these comp+lsions are easily satisfied. In other areas they may meet with

direct or indirect resistance. 3s a conse+ence, the former type of area comes to satisfy

these comp+lsions to an extent that is -reater than their d+e share. 3-ain, this is

partic+larly so for inner city areas.A#he important point in this re-ard is that as lon- as

city%wide ho+sehold comp+lsions to en-a-e in homeho+sin- )ased economic actiitiesare not d+ly addressed in a city%wide framewor2, areas s+ch as inner city areas will

contin+e to come +nder +nd+e press+res of prolific mixed land +se patterns. It is )eyondthe scope of this article, and wo+ld )e a di-ression from its main theme, to -o into a

disc+ssion of how ia)le inte-ration of non%residential +ses in ho+sin- areas co+ld come

a)o+t. *+ffice to say here that it wo+ld re+ire a chan-e from specifyin- standards for

proision to descri)in- criteria for permissi)ility )ased, not +pon a)sol+teperformancen+isance characteristics of +ses !as is done in conentional performance

standard onin- practice$ )+t, +pon s+ch characteristics vis a vis the performance
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s+ita)ilityn+isance accepta)ility of ario+s locations within a layo+t and preferences of

ario+s comm+nities.AACity%wide inte-rated land +se systems in place of conentional

onin- practice are cr+cial to alleiatin- the dis%)alanced existin- mixed land +se patterns

which are a ma5or part of the inner city pro)lem.

3 second area of prospectie physical plannin- that merits disc+ssion here is one of-eneral spatial plannin- of cities. Hen as master plans thro+-ho+t the co+ntry adocate

Bpoly%nodalB spatial plannin-, most cities contin+e to demonstrate mono%n+clear -rowth

with all the pro)lems for inner city areas attendant to s+ch -rowth patterns. here co+ld

)e a n+m)er of reasons for this -ap )etween plan proposals and plan implementation and

these co+ld possi)ly )e cate-orised into inade+ate plannin- and inade+ate

implementation. 9ro)lems re-ardin- inade+ate implementation of s+)%city centres arerooted lar-ely in reso+rce constraints. his is indeed typical to hird 4orld plannin-

interentions in -eneral and an ineita)le o+tcome of a sit+ation in which the earnestness

of a+thorities to BproideB rather than BfacilitateB and their +ndercapitalisation are

5+xtaposed. 8ne aspect of inade+ate plannin- is that it does not ta2e into acco+nt thisineita)ility. Eearly all plans p+rportin- poly%nodal -rowth come +p with static

concept+al dia-rams with city centress+)%centres neatly disposed in the city space. *+chstatic concept+alisation ma2es for a tendency to loo2 +pon each new centre as an

independent entity on a Bclean slateB so to spea2. It is all too easily for-otten that ario+s

centres are also spaced o+t in time and that one of the essential o)5ecties of poly%nodal

confi-+rations is to decon-est from existin- centres. his o)5ectie is seldom, if eer,

made explicit. It co+ld )e worthwhile, for instance, to lin2 inner%city decon-estion with

the deelopment of new s+)%city centres )y, say, reserin- a percenta-e of floor space inthe latter for the former. o-ether with allowin- for city%wide mixed land +se patterns,

this co+ld s+)stantially alleiate the inner city pro)lem.

he fore-oin- is )y no means an exha+stie disc+ssion of prospectie plannin- iss+e for

inner city renewal. It is intended primarily to demonstrate the need for incorporatin- a

temporal dimension in the wider framewor2 for addressin- the inner city pro)lem. his,

in fact, sho+ld )e the case for retrospectie interentions in -eneral.

Concldin+ Remar.

he precipitation and perpet+ation of the pro)lems of inner city areas are d+e lar-ely to

the +r)an and economic -rowth in their wider city contexts. heir persistence owes

lar-ely to the fail+re to iew them from this perspectie. heir sol+tions, +nless so+-ht

from this )roader iew, are li2ely to contin+e to remain el+sie. 4ith this )asic premise,the few explicit and implicit s+--estions made in this article, tho+-h they co+ld afford

some startin- points, are intended primarily to ill+strate the ran-e and scope of the

framewor2 re+ired to address the inner city pro)lem. 4hile the s+)stantial pro)lems

attendant on rapid +r)anisation re+irin- +r-ent attention hae lon- 5+stified an approach

of Bsomethin- is )etter than nothin-B, IndiaBs experience with inner city renewal e+ally
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18/25

clearly demonstrates that the whole is, indeed, not +ite the s+m of the parts, and a wider

iew of the inner city pro)lem is lon- oerd+e. In this context, this article may )e seen as

an attempt to delineate not so m+ch the ri-ht answers as the complete +estion.

1.Goernment of India,&eport of the 'ational Commission on (rbanisation!Eew Delhi,

India, 166$.

&.*ome of these ne-atie effects are: !a$ often relatiely affl+ent tenants find themseles

in the priile-ed position of payin- rents far )elow their capacity, !)$ rent control acts as

a s+)sidy to )+siness and commercial esta)lishments which mana-e to penetrate

residential premises, !c$ controls -enerate extra%rental mechanisms, s+ch as 2ey%money,which are seldom directed towards increased inestment in the )+ildin-, and !d$

sta)ilisation of low%income -ro+ps in the inner city may )e offset )y a condition ofmana-ement stalemate in which the -oernment, ho+se%owners and residents all decline

responsi)ility for the ho+sin- stoc2 !op$ cit$1&, pp. 1#%1A$.

#.he oard set +p +nder the proisions of the


19/25

.>om)ay ;o+sin- and 3rea Deelopment >oard !>;3D>$, "Repair and reconstr+ction

of old and dilapidated )+ildin-s in the island city of >om)ay", +ndated internal

doc+ment.

6.*ome 1&,77 )+ildin-s had )een repaired +p to #1 oard and &== cases of repairs +nder E8C !op$ cit$1#, p. 17$.

.)p$ cit$.

17.*ome &@& )+ildin-s had )een reconstr+cted +p to #1


20/25

)+ildin-, 1=.& m& per +nit and Rs 1&77 per m& constr+ction cost, an inestment of morethan Rs 1=,777 million wo+ld )e needed for the reconstr+ction pro-ramme alone .>.D.

dB*o+a, "8)solescence in >om)ayBs ;o+sin- *toc2", paper for the ad-hoc expert -ro+pmeetin-op$ cit$ A$, 16&M. in the next 17 years, i.e., a re+ired inestment of a)o+t Rs

1=77 million per year. 3-ainst this, aaila)le f+nds !notes 1A, 1@$ are a)o+t Rs 1=7

million.

16.he walled city of Delhi accommodates a n+m)er of wholesale, retail. man+fact+rin-,

handicraft and cotta-e ind+strial actiities, )esides ma5or informal mar2ets of the city. o

-ie a ro+-h idea of the scale at which non%residential actiities are proliferatin-, there

are some 1@7,777 commercial esta)lishments !as a-ainst &&,777 in 1=1 and @@,=77 in11$ and a)o+t 777 ind+strial +nits. here are nearly 66 ha of land +nder trade and

commerce and .@ ha +nder ind+stry, a-ainst 161.71 ha +nder residential +se op$ cit$ &7,p. AA$.

1.Delhi Deelopment 3+thority !9erspectie 9lannin- 4in-$, "4alled City of

*hah5ehana)ad: 9lannin- Iss+es and 9olicy rame", report for limited circ+lation !DD3,

16A$.

&7.Delhi Deelopment 3+thority !9erspectie 9lannin- 4in-$,Proceedin%s of the

1orkshop on Some Critical Issues: 2elhi-34)J !DD3, 16=a$, p. AA.

&1.)p$ cit$ 1.

&&.own and Co+ntry 9lannin- 8r-anisation,&edevelopment of Shah5ehanabad, the

1alled city of 2elhi: a &esume of the Seminar held on January 0.st and 6ebruary

.st, 1@, at 'ew 2elhi !


21/25

&6.)p$ cit$ &&, p. &&.

&.)p$ cit$ 1.

#7.)p$ cit$ &7.

#1.Delhi Deelopment 3+thority !9erspectie 9lannin- 4in-$, "9lan for the

Redeelopment of the 4alled City of *hah5ehana)ad", report for limited circ+lation

!DD3, 16=)$.

#&.aross, H. an-2o2, 16#$.

#6.G.D. Verma, "Inte-rated land +se systems for ho+sin- areas", an +np+)lished thesis

!Department of ;o+sin-, *chool of 9lannin- and 3rchitect+re, Eew Delhi, India, 16$.

#.)p$ cit$ A.

A7.)p$ cit$ #, p. =@.

A1.)p$ cit$ #.

A&.)p$ cit$ 1.

A#.)p$ cit$ #6.
http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref28_kxtn9rbhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref29_j411l5rhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref30_776bmaghttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref31_dpxdwxphttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref32_zfm047nhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref33_2opbhg3http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref34_sajp7erhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref35_jfynukrhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref36_h987ej6http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref37_8gjzuz1http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref38_37sl733http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref39_48jdc9qhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref40_yi96h72http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref41_lgxjn89http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref42_9wz2rhdhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref43_oa6i8flhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref28_kxtn9rbhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref29_j411l5rhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref30_776bmaghttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref31_dpxdwxphttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref32_zfm047nhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref33_2opbhg3http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref34_sajp7erhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref35_jfynukrhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref36_h987ej6http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref37_8gjzuz1http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref38_37sl733http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref39_48jdc9qhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref40_yi96h72http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref41_lgxjn89http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref42_9wz2rhdhttp://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21806#footnoteref43_oa6i8fl


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AA.G.D. Verma, B*hops in ho+sin- areas in DelhiB, in7rchitecture82esi%n, Vol. VIII

!11$, Eo.1.

Pol (housing)rom 4i2ipedia, the free encyclopedia

A pol in Ahmedabad
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A pol( pronunciation(helpinfo), pronounced as pole,Gujarati:) in India is a housing cluster which

comprises many families of a particular group, linked bycaste, profession, or religion !ols are

typical of urban centres inGujaratespecially of "ld Ahmedabad

Contents

#hide$

%&tymology

'Architecture and culture

!ols

*ee also

+eferences

-.otes

/&0ternal links

Etymology#edit$

1he word pol is deri2ed from the *anskritword pratolimeaning entrance to an enclosed area

Architecture and culture#edit$

!ols were originally made as a protection measure when communalriotsnecessitated greater

security probably dating from %/3 during 4ughal54aratha rule (%/35%/+) in Ahmedabad A typical

pol would ha2e only one or two entrances and also some secret entrances known only to people

residing in a pol *ome pols contain old beautiful houses with internal courts ha2ing intricate wooden

car2edfacadeswith columns and fresco work done around court walls or ceilings6!ol7 architecture is

an interesting e2olution in urban li2ing space

&ach pol was protected by a gateway closed at night as a safeguard against thie2es Inside is one

main street, with crooked lanes branching on either side 4ost 2ary in si8e from fi2e or ten to fifty or

si0ty houses "ne of them, the 4and2i pol in the 9amalpur area of Ahmedabad, is much larger than

the rest and includes se2eral smaller pols, with an area of about fifty acres and a population ofthousands !ols are almost entirely inhabited by indus, in some cases by a settlement of families

belonging to one caste, and in others by families of se2eral of the higher castes, ;rahmins,

leading man whose name the pol in many cases bears, and whose family holds a position of respect
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_helphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_languagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_languagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_languagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Ahmedabadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Etymologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Architecture_and_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Polshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#See_alsohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Referenceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#External_linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facadehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facadehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facadehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015294-295-1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015294-295-1https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_helphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pol_(housing_cluster)_pronounced_in_Gujarati.ogghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_languagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Ahmedabadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Etymologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Architecture_and_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Polshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#See_alsohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Referenceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#External_linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facadehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015294-295-1


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as the heads of the pol &ach pol had generally its own watchman and its own sanitary

arrangements 1he affairs of pol were managed by group of people 1he house property in the pol is

to some e0tent held in common ?ormerly no man could sell or mortgage a house to an outsider

without first offering it to the people of the pol 1hough this rule is not kept later, inmates of a pol sold

their houses to same caste people @hen a house ismortgaged or sold, the people of the pol had aright to claim from one5half to two per cent of the money recei2ed Again, on wedding and other

great family occasions, each householder is e0pected to feast the whole pol, and in some cases all

the men of the pol, though not of the same caste, are e0pected to attend any funeral that may take

place If the pol rules are slighted, the offender is fined, and, in former times, till he paid, he was not

allowed to light a lamp in his house or to gi2e a feast 1he money gathered from gifts, fines, and the

percentage on house property sales, formed a common fund managed by the leaders, seths, of the

pol 1his was spent on repairs to the pol gate, the pol pri2ies, or the pol well 1he poliaor gate5

keeper is not paid out of the fund e earns his li2ing by begging from the people of the pol and

works as a labourer for them#%$

1he chief feature of these !ols is that each has a separate entrance protected by a gateway, pol,

with a picket house on the top of it Inside of the gateway the houses of the group form one or more

streets, the ends either blocked by a dead wall, or, through a small door, bari, opening into another

!ol Inside the pols the roads are rough, narrow, and winding, fit in many cases only for foot

passengers 4ost of the houses are first class, the walls massi2e and the timber strong *ome of

them, especially those about more than hundred years old, are ornamented with much rich and

finely cut wood5work ?rom their fondness for this part of the town and the want of open sites, the

families as they grew larger, added story on story to the old houses, the upper stories often jutting

out so far that, when two opposite houses were enlarged, their ea2es almost met across the

roadway Inside of most two or more storied houses is a yard, and under the yard a co2ered

reser2oir with supplies of rain water for drinking !art of the courtyard is sometimes raised into a

terrace and used as a lounge or for drying grain, pulse, and clothes In these houses 2aluables are,

if unwieldy, stowed away in secret under5ground cellars with most carefully hid entrances *ome of

these cellars ha2e air shafts run through the walls, so that they may be used as retreats for men in

hiding 1he jewellery >safe> is usually a hole in the house wall or in one of the main beams, hidden so

cunningly that no stranger can find it out, and its secret so jealously guarded, that it is known only to

the bead of the house, his wife, and one or two of his most trusted children 1he people of these pols

form, to some e0tent, separate communities, each with arrangements for managing its commonaffairs#'$

Pols#edit$

1he old city ofAhmedabadlocated on the &astern banks of the *abarmati ri2er is made up of

around - pols within a fortified compound1he earliest 6!ol7 to be incorporated was aptly

christened Mahurat Poland was built adjacent to 4anek Bhowk#$#$#+$
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015294-295-1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015323-2https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmedabadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manek_Chowk_(Ahmedabad)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manek_Chowk_(Ahmedabad)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-Others-3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-ams-5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015294-295-1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-FOOTNOTE.27.27Google_Books.27.272015323-2https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmedabadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manek_Chowk_(Ahmedabad)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-Others-3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_(housing)#cite_note-ams-5


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See also#edit$
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=4https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=4https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pol_(housing)&action=edit&section=4

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Inner City Housing

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