Page 1 of 15

PROJECT ANAND NIWAS

SOCIAL HOUSING FOR DIFFERENLY ABLED PEOPLE

“SAVDA GHEVRA” DELHI

BY

CREDAI NCR

SAVDA GHEVRA - DELHI

Page 2 of 15

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. The beneficiary families – a short history

3. Securing land tenure

4. Early stages of the project

5. The help of volunteer teams

6. Completion

7. Family stories / case studies

8. Thanks

Annexure 1. Pre-post photographs

Page 3 of 15

Carrying forward its commitment to reach out to people with special needs, CREDAI NCR undertook a project

involving construction of low cost houses at Savda Ghevra Resettlement Colony, Near Munduka and

Bahadurgarh areas of the Capital. Through project Anand Niwas, the organization not only aimed to empower

the urban poor but also promised sustainable development in communities in which it operated.

The project involved building low cost and disabled friendly houses. As one member in each family was

differently-abled, special care was taken to incorporate differently-abled-friendly features in the construction

process. Each house comprises of a living room, a kitchen and an attached toilet with underground septic tank

providing good living conditions to the underprivileged section of the society.

The project is in association with Habitat for Humanity India wherein HFHI is the implementing partner for

constructing the houses and CREDAI NCR the primary donor for funding the project. With Madok Foundation

playing an instrumental role in acquiring the land, Delhi Government has allotted about 12.5 square meter of

land per family.

With the implementation of Project Anand Niwas, CREDAI NCR’s contribution in the field of corporate social

responsibility continues unabated with its renewed mission to serve the differently abled and needy across the

NCR region.

1. Introduction

The Anand Niwas project in the slum relocation colony of Savda Ghevra, West Delhi was a project to provide decent

and secure housing for 19 families, who were previously homeless and destitute and living on the streets of South

Delhi. At least one member of each of the families is differently abled.

This unique project was a partnership between Habitat for Humanity India (HFH India), the Madhok Foundation and

the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) Chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India

(CREDAI).

In this project HFH India were the construction / implementing partner, the Madhok Foundation were the grassroots

/ community partner and CREDAI was the finance partner i.e. the donor for the majority of the houses in the project.

Due to the poverty of the families involved and their status as ‘differently abled’, this was a grant project and the full

cost of the 19 CREDAI supported houses was borne by CREDAI members (see Annexure 4 for the full details).

This project would not have been possible without the professional and financial support of CREDAI NCR officials

especially Mr. Pankaj Bajai, President CREDAI NCR and Mr.Rohit Raj Modi, Secretary, CREDAI NCR and Mr. Sushant

Gupta.

HFHI also thank all the members of CREDAI NCR for sponsoring these houses.

Sincerely

Justin Jebakumar, Director

Habitat for Humanity, Delhi

Page 4 of 15

2. The beneficiary families – a short history

During the peak winter month of January 2009, a ‘clean-up campaign’ or ‘slum demolition drive’ of the Municipal

Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolished the make-shift homes (shanties/ juggies) of a large number of differently

abled families living behind Nehru Stadium in South Delhi. The families had been living in that location for many

years. These actions were taken on the basis that the land was required for building infrastructure and facilities for

the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Other similar demolitions and evictions were happening at this time all over

the city. Sadly, the families were rendered homeless and were left without any shelter despite the repeated

assurances of the government and the elected representatives that they would not be shifted without them being

allotting an alternative site. Almost 100 families including those with new born babies and senior parents were left

without shelter and in a helpless state in the bitter winter months with nowhere to go and very dismal prospects for

their future.

There are many differently abled people living on Delhi’s streets and it is commonly assumed that they do nothing

but beg for a living. But this is not accurate and it was certainly not the whole picture for this particular group of

families. Although they did benefit from money they received from motorists, passersby and visitors to local temples

in the Lodi Road area, many were also employed as tailors, rag pickers, or phone kiosk operators with special quotas

of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigram Limited (MTNL). However due to their displacement many were unable to

continue with their work.

Page 5 of 15

3. Securing land tenure

The Madhok Foundation, a Delhi based NGO under the Directorship of Mrs. Alaka Madhok took up the cause of the

differently abled families.1 Through its various community development projects in the city, the Madhok Foundation

had been working with this group for some years and it was through the sterling advocacy efforts of Mrs. Madhok

that a breakthrough was achieved. Seeking permanent, legal titles/plots for the families, Mrs. Madhok lobbied the

appropriate authorities and in particular the Lt. Governor of Delhi, Mr.Tejinder Khanna. After much time and effort

and coming and going between various offices and government departments, the Lt. Governor agreed to allowed

allocations and small plots of land were allotted in Savda Ghevra, a slum relocation area far to the west on the

outskirts

of Delhi

(see map

below).

Google map

of Delhi,

showing

Savda

Ghevra

marked

with an A

and in

yellow

circle.

Page 6 of 15

With the formal allocation of plots the displaced families now had some hope of a secure place to live, where they

could try to reclaim a life of dignity and self respect for themselves and their children. However, whilst they had a

small plot of land on which to build a house, they had no money with which to build and no chance of getting a loan

from any bank or lending institution. It was to solve the problem of actually getting the houses built and the funding

required for this that the Madhok Foundation contacted HFH India.

4. Early stages of the project

The early stages of the project saw joint working between the Madhok Foundation and the Delhi office of HFH India

to finalize the land tenure issues, conduct baseline surveys, survey the site, and (importantly) secure funding from a

donor. As soon as the beneficiaries had their papers they had to occupy the plots taking with them the plastics

sheets and other material they had been using to shelter on the streets (see pictures below).

Page 7 of 15

As per the norm in Delhi’s resettlement colonies, the allocated plots were very small at only 135 sq. ft. Beneficiary

families were consulted as to their requirements and as far as is possible houses were designed to be suited to the

particular needs of differently abled family member or members.

The 27 houses were designed as follows:

- Solid foundation and brick / concrete walls engineered to be strong enough to support further floors.

- Private downstairs toilet connected to under floor cement lined septic tank.

- Main living room / small kitchen area.

- Internal stairs with mumty covering to open first floor terrace with parapet.

- Reinforced concrete roof.

- Strong steel doors and windows.

- Electricity connection

Page 8 of 15

By March 2012 the foundations were well under way (see pictures above).

Page 9 of 15

5. The help of volunteer teams

Habitat for Humanity as an organisation is well known all over the world for its utilization of teams of willing

volunteers to help build its houses. This unskilled supervised labour serves to reduce build costs and makes the

houses more affordable to low income groups. Between March 2012 and January 2013 a number of local (Delhi

based) teams visited the Anand Niwas project site, to meet the families and offer their time and labour to help

construct the houses. The details are given in full below:

���� 12th

May 2012 – Youth Build

Over 100 volunteers came to build as part of a major Asia Pacific campaign called ‘Youth Build 2012’. The following

teams were represented: The Delhi Bikers Breakfast Run, Bloomberg, Whirlpool, a mixed International team and the

Madhok Foundation volunteers (see pictures below).The event was inaugurated by Mrs. Mehra Kerpelman Director

of the United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan (UNIC) (see picture right).

Page 10 of 15

���� Staff from the US Embassy in Delhi

On Tuesday 11th

September 2012, 17 staff from the US Embassy in Delhi came to paint and whitewash 4 of the newly

built houses (see pictures below).

���� Millward Brown

On Friday 21st

September 2012, a large and enthusiastic team of 40 volunteers from Millward Brown painted and

whitewashed a large number of the Anand Niwas houses (see pictures below).

���� 1st

October 2012 World Habitat Day

World Habitat Day is celebrated every year in countries all round the world and is promoted by UN HABITAT (the

UN’s Human Settlements Programme). On 1st

October staff from HFH India office, and residents of Savda Ghevra met

at the site and planted trees and shrubs (see pictures below).

Page 11 of 15

6. Completion

Essentially the project was completed by November 2012. This was when the families moved in and coincidentally

when the weather in Delhi starts to get colder and when people really need the protection of a roof and 4 solid

walls. The project was on time and on budget and all that remains are a few finishing exterior touches and formal

inaugurations which are being planned.

7. Family stories / case studies

►Ataur Rahman (wife) house owner and Ajab Ali (husband)

Interview conducted 16.1.2013 outside their new property – Number 0547.

The couple has 5 children, none of whom live with them. Some of the

children are staying with grandparents in the village or elsewhere.

Ajab is differently abled; effectively he has no use of either of his legs. He

has to use a wheeled chair to get around.

They lived in a slum colony close to Nehru stadium in south Delhi for 12

years. They were evicted with no alternative housing site provided.

They lived on pavements for 4 years in the Lodi Road area – in a back gully

close to the Sai Baba Temple. Ajab worked selling items from a small stall.

They never really considered that they could own their own house or have

a decent and secure place to live. It was only the intervention and work of

Mrs. Alaka Madhok of The Madhok Foundation who gave them any hope of

getting off the streets. She helped 40 to 50 homeless differently abled

families get access to legal land plots.

According to Ataur and Ajab like many resettlement colonies in Delhi, there

are problems in Savda Ghevra – mostly to do with sanitation/drainage, the

provision of water and livelihood options. But they are pleased with their

new house, it is good and solid and they hope that they can extend up a

floor in the future once they have saved enough money. They are grateful

to the donors and organizations that have helped them.

Having a permanent, legal address has really helped in terms of getting

government entitlements such as a ration cards and also a legal electricity

connection.

According to Ataur and Ajab Savda Ghevra is remote but it has a good market and the local school is ok. They can get a shared tempo to the

main road for 10 Rupees and from there are buses that go into central and south Delhi where they still have roots and social connections.

The new house has given a new status as a home owner with a permanent address.

Page 12 of 15

Dilip Tanti (husband) of Meena Devi (wife) and house owner

Interview conducted 16.1.2013 outside their new property – Number 0575.

The couple has 2 children, 1 boy and 1 girl.

Dilip is differently abled; both legs are amputated above the knee. He

relies on a wheeled chair for his general mobility.

They lived for 12 years in the Nehru stadium slum colony in south Delhi.

They were part of a strong and close knit community and the eviction

was very hard given that the government (despite promises) provided no

alternative housing site.

Like many other families in their slum they stayed in the same Lodi Road

location and they lived for 4 years close to the Sai Baba Temple.

They never dreamed that they could own their own house at some point

in the future. Mrs. Alaka Madhok of the Madhok Foundation was the

only one who helped them and she did this consistently over many years.

Dilip used to have a job as a cigarette vendor, but he is unable to find this

sort of work anymore.

Dilip makes clear that despite the challenges in Savda Ghevra, life is

better and safer with a good house. He is satisfied with the house and

with the work of all the organizations involved in providing it. Having the

use of the personal toilet is very good because the local toilet blocks have

been locked for over 2 months and people have to use open ground here

and there.

Having a permanent, legal address has helped in terms of them being

able to receive government benefits for poor families.

The new house has given Dilip a new status, certainly a higher status than he and his family had when they were homeless and living on the

streets.

►Hamid Begum (husband) of Hasina Begum (wife) and house owner

Interview conducted 16.1.2013 outside their property – Number 0580.

Page 13 of 15

The couple has 4 girls.

Hasina is partially sighted, as are quite a few of their community.

They lived in the Nehru stadium slum for 12 years and were an

integral part of that differently abled community, before the

evictions and the scattering of the families.

They lived on the streets for about 4 years and Hamid commented

that the bitter winters in the open were particularly hard for the

family. But they had nowhere to go.

Mrs. Alaka Madhok was the only one who helped them and she gave

them some hope of getting some land from the government –

somewhere safe and legal to live.

The new house is small but it is very good and they hope to extend

in the future if finances allow. The inbuilt toilet has been very useful

and the septic tank system is working well.

They offer their thanks to the donors, organizations and individuals

who have helped them. They hope that more people in their

position can be helped to have decent housing.

The house has brought a new dignity and status that was not there

before. Having a legal and permanent address is very useful.

8. Thanks

There are many people that need to be thanked for making this remarkable project possible and for providing many

poor differently abled families in Delhi with a decent and secure home in which to live.

Page 14 of 15

ANNEXURES

Annexure 1: Pre & post photographs

Before (pre-project): The Sikander family in their shelter

Before (pre-project): The Kadir family in their shelter

Page 15 of 15

Before (pre-project): The Anand Niwas site in February

2012