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CASE STUDIES
a population of 18.5 million Table 1:Details of Slums as per Land owning Agency in Delhi
people. The Economic Survey of
No. of
Delhi, 2007-08 estimated that 47 Land Owning Agency No. of JJ Households Area under JJ
clusters
clusters
per cent of the city’s population Acres
lives in Jhuggi-Jhopri (JJ) clusters,
slum designated areas and DDA 335 153349 849
relocation colonies. In 2005, only Central Govt. 155 83520 672
30 percent of the population had Others i/c private 11 2811 26
formal rights over the land they MCD 38 9526 66
lived on, while the unorganised DUSIB 99 46212 227
sector accounted for 66.7 percent Agencies of Delhi Govt. 37 12957 150
of total employment in Delhi. Grand Total 675 3,08,375 1990
Around 1.7 million people (Source DDA)
reside in slums covering an area
of about 805 hectares in 675 has been observed during the The urban poor have the most
slum clusters located in various current Covid-19 times. fragmented and poorly regulated
different locations spread all But, on the contrary, even after healthcare system. Urban India
across the city as seen in Figure being such an essential part of has a high concentration of the
1. The land on which these the city, the conditions that they doctors and hospitals in the
slum dwellers reside is mostly live in, the basic facilities that country with nearly 60% of all
government land owned by over they are deprived of – proper health workers working where
30 agencies (more than 50% on shelter and basic infrastructure only 30% of the population
DDA land). These slum clusters in terms of water and sanitation, resides. A high density of
are home to approximately is a major concern towards their population, lack of public
3,08,735 households (Refer health and well-being as well health-related infrastructures
Table 1). Over 80% of these slum as the unhygienic environment like sewerage systems or piped
dwellers have migrated from in and around these clusters is water adds additional layers
other states over the years in an alarming threat for the city’s of risk to infection. The impact
an attempt to seek employment habitable conditions in future. can be particularly severe where
opportunities (formal and Impact of Covid-19 prevention requires physical
informal sector) and earn their distancing and frequent washing
own living. Most of them support A huge quantum of the of hands with soap and water.
and contribute majorly to the population of Delhi resides in The COVID-19 pandemic has
industrial sector, construction informal settlements, slums, clearly highlighted the plight
sector, small business and which are highly congested and of the slum dwellers and need
service organizations in Delhi. with poor infrastructure. The for an urgent intervention to
The cheap labour they provide, containment zone maps show upgrade the slum pockets. The
the large number of domestic increasing clusters of infections redevelopment norms for slums
help and service personnel that overlaps with slums and may have to be modified keeping
they consist of, and the sizable other neighbourhoods that in view the impact of pandemic
informal functions they perform, are inhabited by the poor and and a need for an integrated
make them an essential part minority communities, majorly and mixed-use community
in the city’s life, functionality along the periphery of Delhi redevelopment.
and existence, which especially in the suburbs or NCR towns.
October 2020 Volume 21 No. 2-SHELTER 91
