136
such dilapidated buildings with tremendous residential pressures at the core which
eventually degrade urban quality of life here. In addition to that, the collapse of
these buildings and death of many innocent residents belonging to lower economic
classes tarnish the city’s identity in global urban forum. This is not merely an infrastructural issue; rather, it greatly results from falling socio-economic standard of
this city where people are bound to risk their lives just for the sake of continuing
their existence within the city core. Such urban crisis in the era of global city development is a big shame for India’s third largest mega city, that is, Kolkata. These
dilapidated dwellings of this city are also associated with certain urban ecological
relations in various ways. This chapter will throw some light on the nature of the
crisis for an ageing city like Kolkata, emphasising on dilapidated dwellings, extension of the conditions of dilapidations of the old buildings, perception and involvements of the residents in their vulnerable urban ecological relations, and also analyse
the role of the government for gentrifying the cityscape by reducing the challenges
of dilapidated dwellings while retaining their historical values.
7.2 Decaying Core: Perspectives from Residential Sectors
The 330 years old city of Kolkata has been experiencing a multitude of urban expansion processes. In the last 50 years this city experienced high level of polarisation
and macro-urbanisation which eventually led to recent initiation of counter urbanisation process. The mother city of Kolkata is now surrounded by many urban
sprawls along with a New Town at Rajarhat. The city is expanding in North, North
East, South and South East directions and has formed an urban agglomeration with
many outgrowths. But the last census (Census of India 2011) showed a declining
trend of population growth rate and density at the core of this city while the peripheral areas are experiencing high population growth. There is a prominent demographic and economic shifting from the core to the peripheral areas of this city. Such
expansion with major outflow of urban middleclass results in the concentration of
lower middle class and urban poor at the centre of the city. People are shifting to the
peripheral areas to avoid congestions, pollutions, high land price, high living costs,
whereas they want a secured apartment life or housing complexes, greeneries and
open space in the outskirts. The development of mass rapid transport system in various peripheral areas along with sufficient bus routes and proliferations of private
cars accelerate such outflow of urban middle class families. The signposts of urban
decay are visible in the process of urban expansion, uncontrolled suburban growth,
declining residential densities at core, shifting of administrative and other major
urban centres from core to peripheral areas, launching of numerous housing projects
with provision of better living standards and facilities. The city core can be divided
into two prominent residential zones. The northern and central parts are older with
large number of old dilapidated buildings inhabited mostly by lower or lower middle class people, narrow roads, high residential densities and a charm of old traditional Kolkata. The southern part is comparatively new with modern building
T. Dey
such dilapidated buildings with tremendous residential pressures at the core which
eventually degrade urban quality of life here. In addition to that, the collapse of
these buildings and death of many innocent residents belonging to lower economic
classes tarnish the city’s identity in global urban forum. This is not merely an infrastructural issue; rather, it greatly results from falling socio-economic standard of
this city where people are bound to risk their lives just for the sake of continuing
their existence within the city core. Such urban crisis in the era of global city development is a big shame for India’s third largest mega city, that is, Kolkata. These
dilapidated dwellings of this city are also associated with certain urban ecological
relations in various ways. This chapter will throw some light on the nature of the
crisis for an ageing city like Kolkata, emphasising on dilapidated dwellings, extension of the conditions of dilapidations of the old buildings, perception and involvements of the residents in their vulnerable urban ecological relations, and also analyse
the role of the government for gentrifying the cityscape by reducing the challenges
of dilapidated dwellings while retaining their historical values.
7.2 Decaying Core: Perspectives from Residential Sectors
The 330 years old city of Kolkata has been experiencing a multitude of urban expansion processes. In the last 50 years this city experienced high level of polarisation
and macro-urbanisation which eventually led to recent initiation of counter urbanisation process. The mother city of Kolkata is now surrounded by many urban
sprawls along with a New Town at Rajarhat. The city is expanding in North, North
East, South and South East directions and has formed an urban agglomeration with
many outgrowths. But the last census (Census of India 2011) showed a declining
trend of population growth rate and density at the core of this city while the peripheral areas are experiencing high population growth. There is a prominent demographic and economic shifting from the core to the peripheral areas of this city. Such
expansion with major outflow of urban middleclass results in the concentration of
lower middle class and urban poor at the centre of the city. People are shifting to the
peripheral areas to avoid congestions, pollutions, high land price, high living costs,
whereas they want a secured apartment life or housing complexes, greeneries and
open space in the outskirts. The development of mass rapid transport system in various peripheral areas along with sufficient bus routes and proliferations of private
cars accelerate such outflow of urban middle class families. The signposts of urban
decay are visible in the process of urban expansion, uncontrolled suburban growth,
declining residential densities at core, shifting of administrative and other major
urban centres from core to peripheral areas, launching of numerous housing projects
with provision of better living standards and facilities. The city core can be divided
into two prominent residential zones. The northern and central parts are older with
large number of old dilapidated buildings inhabited mostly by lower or lower middle class people, narrow roads, high residential densities and a charm of old traditional Kolkata. The southern part is comparatively new with modern building
T. Dey