Resettlement and Relocation Project in Cuttack, India
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The Cuttack Ring Road Resettlement project, which started in 2011, involves one thousand five hundred (1500) households located in one hundred and forty-four (144) settlements. Plans were drawn up for the relocation site following an analysis of the results of the socio-economic survey. The survey revealed a number of significant findings including the need for careful consideration of transitions between public and private space as well as the importance of semi-public spaces for women. A comprehensive relocation plan was developed and finalised in 2012. However, litigation challenges have resulted in the realisation of the plan being delayed.
Location: Cuttack, IndiaThree proposals have been prepared since the project's inception. This involved inventory analysis, planning components, and a proposal for relocation. The inventory and analysis were used as tools to understand the settlements and what would be needed to develop a new area. The base of the inventory analysis was a socioeconomic survey, hand-drawn map and GIS mapping. The data was compiled with field visits, interviews, and dialogue with community members and leaders filling in any knowledge gaps.
Community capacity:The community spearheaded the survey process and was instrumental in the collection of data. The communities were also involved with architects from Architects without Borders (ASF) in the spatial analysis of where children play, where do women gather, do they feel secure in their settlements, the amount of space occupied etc. The communities in all fourteen (14) settlements produced handmade drawings of their settlements. The Federation and some of the community members were also involved with KRVIA on initial ideas on designing and livelihoods.
Scale:The project covers a large area which encompasses one hundred and forty-four settlements. The project therefore does have the potential to be scaled across the region, that is if the necessary technical and financial support is available.
Impact:The purchase of digital mapping equipment has significantly improved the Federation's capacity. This equipment is utilised for all projects relating to re-blocking, sanitation, facilities and the provision of amenities.
The value and contribution of the enumeration process is being embedded in various Government policies and projects. The demonstrates the influence the Alliance has had in both the policy sphere and in practice.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI contributed US$300,000.00
Resources Leveraged:Professional assistance was received from Architects without Borders (ASF) volunteers from Sweden. They helped Ring Road settlement communities carry out spatial analyses in Cuttack. They also assisted the communities to develop housing typologies and the infrastrucure layout plans.
Market Generated Returns:None to date.
Costs recovered from community:None to date.
| Contact | Telephone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheela Patel | sparc@sparcindia.org | (+91) 22 238 650 53 | View Website |
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Project information updated: 10 March 2016
Project in depth
Detailed Information
Collaboration between SPARC, KRIVIA, ASF-Sweden, Mahila Milan, UDRC and the government saw attempts to find alternative land to relocate households. Cuttack is twenty kilometres (20km) north-east of Bhubaneshwar. It is situated at the beginning of the Mahandadi river delta and is surrounded by the river and its tributaries. This places it at great risk of flooding during monsoon season. Settlements are in water-logged areas or between the Ring Roads and river. The current population of Cuttack is six hundred thousand (600 000).
The intention was to develop a plan to be implemented in the relocation site. The plan was based on an analysis, which highlighted that semi-private and semi-public spaces are of great importance for residents in the affected settlements. Therefore particular attention was paid to these spaces in the relocation plan. For example, a veranda is private but you can still talk to your neighbours. Other examples include semi-public spaces such as shared courtyards or a meeting space shared between a few households. These areas were found to be of particular importance for women who did not leave the area often.
Often slum redevelopment ignores the space in between houses, which was given significant attention in this project. The plan included livelihood detail, architecture, environmental aspects, social aspects, maintenance, and the entire process. Despite the development of a comprehensive proposal for relocation had been developed by the end of 2012, litigation resulted in the project being put on hold. Slow development on this means residents are still in danger.
Community capacity:Inclusion of the community in process of formulating the relocation plan as well as the analysis and ensuring that their ideas and desires are incorporated in the plan (e.g. the importance of semi-private and semi-public spaces and general spaces between structures for women) means that when relocation occurs it will be socially sustainable for its residents.
Scale:The project presents an ideal opportunity for the growth of the Federation as some of the households that are affected by the relocation plans are non-Federation members. This means that the Federation will not only grow in numbers but its geographical presence will also grow.
Impact:The intention of this project is to ensure that communities no longer face the threat of having their homes devastated by floods during the annual monsoon season.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI contributed US$300,000.00. Of this amount US$100,000.00 was used to cover support costs.
Resources Leveraged:- ASF-Sweden went back to the settlements in 2014.
- Further work on the part of Government is needed to catalyse progress. Cuttack Municipal Corporation officials, the Commissioner, community members, Mahila Milan (MM) leaders and the Alliance have held several discussions to ensure that land is available and that the relocation can take place without any further impediments.
Burra, S. (2012). Inclusive Urban Planning and Slum Rehabilitation: A Reflection on BSUP and Lessons on RAY. [Online]. Available: http://www.urbanodisha.gov.in/(S(mmsysc45j1g52d55er0ffn45))/pdf/Workshop_Presentations/Urban_Planning_Slum_Rehabilitation.pdf.
Burra, S., Patel, S. & Kerr, T. (2003). Community-designed, Built and Managed Toilet Blocks in Indian Cities. [Online]. Available: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/G00517.pdf.
International Housing Coalition. (2012). SPARC-NSDF-Mahila Milan Alliance: Lessons Learned from Building Successful Communal Toilets in India. [Online]. Available: http://intlhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IHC_CaseStudy-SPARC-Alliance-India.pdf.
Livengood, A. & Kunte, K. (2012). Enabling Participatory Planning with GIS: A Case Study of Settlement Mapping in Cuttack, India, Environment and Urbanisation, 24(1): 77 - 97. [Online]. Available: http://eau.sagepub.com/content/24/1/77.full.
Patel, S. & Mitlin, D. (2001). The Work of SPARC, the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan. [Online]. Available: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu-projects/drivers_urb_change/urb_governance/pdf_comm_act/IIED_Patel_SPARC_and_Partners.pdf.
SPARC, NSDF & Mahila Milan. (2010). Citywatch India. [Online]. Available: http://sdinet.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Citywatch_2010-11_16.9.2011.pdf.
Vindelman, A. (2014). The Cuttack Ring Road Resettlement Project. In H. Moksens and M. Melin, (Eds.), Claiming the City: Civil Society Mobilisation by the Urban Poor, Uppsala: Uppsala University. [Online]. Available: http://www.csduppsala.uu.se/devnet/CivilSociety/Outlookserien/2013,%20ClaimCit/ClaimCity_Vindelman.pdf.
Funding Information
Raised: | $300,000.00 |
Funding type: | Grant funding |
Implementing Partners
ASF-Sweden
Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC)
