144
7.5.7 Lack of Alternate Options
The dilapidated dwellers need a safe but cheap alternate residential option preferably near their original locality. The ecological bonding in these micro-urban environments creates a hindrance behind the shifting of the residents.
7.5.8 Disputes in Taking Responsibilities
Prior to 2017, according to the then Amendments to the Building Laws, Section 412
A of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, it was not possible for KMC to take
prompt decisions regarding the demolition of dangerous buildings due to legal disputes of property rights. Mere demolition of the dilapidated buildings caused suffering from acute shortage of accommodation for a major section of urban dwellers.
The entire process was very lengthy and mostly ineffective. This led to the formation of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 where legal power
is given to the KMC to ensure demolition, repair and maintenance of old and dilapidated buildings in the city if necessary.
7.6 Renewal or Redevelopment: Whither Kolkata?
In his Production of Space, Henri Lefebvre pointed out that dilapidated house
reconstruction is a mere material upgradation, ignoring the lived space over abstract
space, focussing narrowly on built structures, while the root condition lies deeper
(Lefebvre 1991). Declining socio-economic status, unemployment, inadequate education, low literacy rates, cultural degeneration – all are associated with the ongoing
process of dilapidation. In such a situation, when the authority is giving stress on
modernising urban space, ensuring gentrification, implementing urban renewal and
regeneration plans in this city, that is nothing but the actualisation of Lefebvre’s
notion of Experimental Utopia where the material transformation of space and radical changes in socio-cultural status of urban dwellers are nothing but utopian visions
of the authority (Thompson 2017). Dilapidated dwelling is not a cause but a result
of fluid social processes and hence the planners and policy makers must view it
from that perspective (Venida 2000). Emphasis should be given on the residential
aspects rather than on housing aspects. Participatory design and development
method should be applied in this case. The urban authority must reconsider the
urban redevelopment programme and must initiate policies emphasising on existing
morphological and functional improvements by demolishing or repairing and
restructuring the buildings to make the locality sustainable, people friendly and safe.
In view of these issues, recently the KMC authority has taken another step for
reducing the dilapidation problems in association with holistic development of all
T. Dey
7.5.7 Lack of Alternate Options
The dilapidated dwellers need a safe but cheap alternate residential option preferably near their original locality. The ecological bonding in these micro-urban environments creates a hindrance behind the shifting of the residents.
7.5.8 Disputes in Taking Responsibilities
Prior to 2017, according to the then Amendments to the Building Laws, Section 412
A of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, it was not possible for KMC to take
prompt decisions regarding the demolition of dangerous buildings due to legal disputes of property rights. Mere demolition of the dilapidated buildings caused suffering from acute shortage of accommodation for a major section of urban dwellers.
The entire process was very lengthy and mostly ineffective. This led to the formation of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 where legal power
is given to the KMC to ensure demolition, repair and maintenance of old and dilapidated buildings in the city if necessary.
7.6 Renewal or Redevelopment: Whither Kolkata?
In his Production of Space, Henri Lefebvre pointed out that dilapidated house
reconstruction is a mere material upgradation, ignoring the lived space over abstract
space, focussing narrowly on built structures, while the root condition lies deeper
(Lefebvre 1991). Declining socio-economic status, unemployment, inadequate education, low literacy rates, cultural degeneration – all are associated with the ongoing
process of dilapidation. In such a situation, when the authority is giving stress on
modernising urban space, ensuring gentrification, implementing urban renewal and
regeneration plans in this city, that is nothing but the actualisation of Lefebvre’s
notion of Experimental Utopia where the material transformation of space and radical changes in socio-cultural status of urban dwellers are nothing but utopian visions
of the authority (Thompson 2017). Dilapidated dwelling is not a cause but a result
of fluid social processes and hence the planners and policy makers must view it
from that perspective (Venida 2000). Emphasis should be given on the residential
aspects rather than on housing aspects. Participatory design and development
method should be applied in this case. The urban authority must reconsider the
urban redevelopment programme and must initiate policies emphasising on existing
morphological and functional improvements by demolishing or repairing and
restructuring the buildings to make the locality sustainable, people friendly and safe.
In view of these issues, recently the KMC authority has taken another step for
reducing the dilapidation problems in association with holistic development of all
T. Dey