Deconstructing Lal Doras (Urban Villages, New Delhi, India): An economic perspective

Urban Sprawl & Land Control Measures Lal Dora, Delhi Abhijit Parashar Fizza Fatima Krishnanunni J. Lucas Nolasco

New Delhi ● ●

Historic City Modern “New Delhi” becomes capital of the British colony of India in 1927

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi#/media/File:IN-DL.svg

1930 Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/510947520209355796/

2012 Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/51094752020938889755796/

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New Delhi vs Mumbai New Delhi

Delhi Popula,on Density

Total population: 21.75 Million Density (Per Sq. Mile): 29,259 persons Per Capita Income: $12,747

Mumbai

Mumbai Popula,on Density

Total population: 18.4 Million Density (Per Sq. Mile): 73000 persons Per Capita Income: $7,005

Source: https://urbanage.lsecities.net/data/ambient-density-mumbai

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What is the Lal Dora? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Name given to the residential area in the village.

Marked by tying a Red Thread (Lal Dora in Hindi) around it to make a boundary.

Distinguish the settlement area from the agricultural land.

To be used for non-agricultural uses only.

30% of Lal Doras renamed as Urban Villages later in 1961 Exempted from Bye-laws.

As of 2007, there were 227 rural and 135 urbanised Lal Doras.

In 2001, 950,000 people lived in Lal Doras, around 7% of Delhi’s population.

Source: Expert committee on Lal Doras, 2007

Source: http://www.crossingthelaldora.com/

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Lal Dora - Timeline

Agricultural land was acquired from the villagers at the rate of Rs 3000/acre.

Delhi municipal Corporation Act Lal Dora areas defined Revenue Settlement

102 Lal Doras identified

1951 1908

1954 1951-54

Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation Act To consolidate agricultural holdings

Source: Chattopadhyay, 2014

kept Lal Dora areas out of purview of building bye-laws.

1957 Delhi Land Reforms Act allows extension of ‘lal dora’ for amenities like health facilities, religious buildings, physical infrastructure, landscaping and open areas

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Lal Dora - Timeline

Master plan 2021 laid down norms for these villages to be governed by special regulations.

Extended Lal Dora Act to identify area between Lal Dora and phirni.

1963

For villages notified as urbanised, any construction has to be carried out in conformity with the building by-laws of the local bodies and Master Plan Extended Lal Dora Act to identify area of Delhi, 2021. between Lal Dora and phirni.

2004 1970

2018 2006

Delhi Administration Notification

Regularisation of ByeLaws in Lal Dora Aeas

Lal Dora areas need

A circular stated that as of August 2004 byelaws be applicable to Lal Dora areas and action be taken on those buildings which were constructed after August 23rd, 2004

not avail building permission.

Only residential use, maximum height two and half stories etc.

Source: Chattopadhyay, 2014

2021 Extension of area under Lal Dora to accommodate rise in village population In a move aimed at giving relief to the rural population, the Delhi government has directed the divisional commissioner to commence the process of extension of the Lal Dora areas in all villages

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Lal Dora - Economic Agents State

•Union Ministry of

Urban Development

Firms

•Boutiques •Cafes

Land Developers

Land Owners

Citizens

Private Companies

Farmers

•Village

Community

•Delhi Municipal Corporation

•Community Leaders

• Expert Committee on Lal Dora (ECLD)

•Delhi residents

•Revenue Department

•Migrants

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Urban Sprawl- The Theory

“general consensus that urban sprawl is characterized by [an] unplanned and uneven pattern of growth, driven by a multitude of processes and leading to inefficient resource utilization." (Bhatta et. al, 2010)

Fundamental Forces behind urban spatial expansion (x̅) 1.

Population Growth (L)

2.

Rising İncome (y)

3.

Falling Commuting Costs (t)

4. Agricultural Land Rent (ra)

x̅ = F ( L, y, t, ra) x̅

as L

x̅

as y

x̅

as t

x̅

as ra

Determination of CIty’s edge. Source: Lectures on Urban Economics

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Urban Sprawl- New Delhi

xĚ… = F ( L, y, t, ra)

Increase in built-up area. Source: Jain M. et. al, 2016

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Urban Sprawl- New Delhi

xĚ… = F ( L, y, t, ra)

r

Source: Source: Lectures on Urban Economics

= ra

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Critic of Urban Sprawl- New Delhi

x̅ = F ( L, y, t, ra) 1.

Loss of open space amenities ●

In addition to crops, farmlands are associated with certain positive externalities such as

●

good air quality, climate regulation, open spaces for leisure etc.

However, these benefits are difficult to quantify and at time invisible to the society.

Suppose, in particular, that each acre of agricultural land yields b dollars of openspace benefits to society, over and above the benefits resulting from the crops it produces

Source: Source: Lectures on Urban Economics

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Critique of Urban Sprawl- New Delhi

2. Scattered Development: Lal Doras are a typical example of scattered development within the outer urban Boundary. ●

Leaves many areas of underdeveloped land undermining the economic efficiency of

●

urban growth.

However if such land is reserved for later development at high densities, the outcome can be socially optimal.

Source: http://www.crossingthelaldora.com/

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Dynamics of Lal Dora Zoning Policy

$

rA

rA settlement area

Center of the Village

rv agricultural land

x̄

x

Lal Dora 13

Dynamics of Lal Dora Zoning | Impact of Rise in Population

$

rise in rural population

rA

rA settlement area

Center of the Village

rv agricultural land

x̄

Lal Dora

x̄

x

Phirni (ext. Lal dora) 14

Impact of Land Use Control Measures | Shrinking Lal Doras vs Expanding Delhi $

$

rA

rA rND

settlement area Center of the Village

rND

agricultural land

x̄ Phirni

rv

open space

x̄

ND

boundary of New Delhi

Center of New Delhi

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Impact of Land Use Control Measures | Shrinking Lal Doras vs Expanding Delhi $

$

rise in urban population

rA

settlement area Center of the Village

x̄ Phirni

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

boundary of New Delhi

Center of New Delhi

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Impact of Land Use Control Measures | Shrinking Lal Doras vs Expanding Delhi $

$

rise in urban population UGB

rA

Center of the Village

x̄ Phirni

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

boundary of New Delhi

Center of New Delhi

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Impact of Land Use Control Measures | Shrinking Lal Doras vs Expanding Delhi $

$ Difference in land rent (Social Cost)

rise in urban population

UGB

rA

Center of the Village

x̄ Phirni

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

boundary of New Delhi

Center of New Delhi

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Impact of Land Use Control Measures | Shrinking Lal Doras vs Expanding Delhi $ Reflections: 1.

The agricultural lands were acquired at a rate higher than rA. However, it is unsure as to if the open amenity benefits were included.

1.

The UGB and relaxation of building rise in urban population regulations has resulted in very high density developments within Lal Doras, especially in the Phirni region.

1.

The difference in land rent in the Phirni region with respect to the adjoining urban areas is in theory profitable to the developers in Lal Dora. However, external developers exploit legal loopholes to their advantage. Furthermore, the power structures within Lal Doras limit equitable distribution of the revenue from rents.

$ Difference in land rent (Social Cost) UGB

rA

Center of the Village

x̄ Phirni

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

x̄

ND

boundary of New Delhi

Center of New Delhi

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4 Stages of Urban Village Stage 1: Villagers face a problem of acquaintance with the new change in occupation and livelihood triggered by acquisition of their agricultural land.

Stage 2: A process of adaptation in terms of alternate livelihoods, new structures, and change in land use.

Stage 3: Renewal and Reconstruction.

Stage 4: Urbanised Village.

Though over time, the villages undergo the above stages of transformation, the pace of transformation is very gradual. There is a mismatch with the pace at which the surrounding area develops. Consequently, the urban villages remain isolated as an island of ‘separate identity’ within a planned urban fabric.

Source: Chattopadhyay et. al, 2014

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Urbanised Village: Hauz Khas

Source: whatsuplife.

Retrieved from https://www.hungryforever.com/hauz-khas-villages-future-dining-party-hub-danger-heres/

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

22 Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Inhabitants of the village were engaged in farming depending upon the land as a major resource to earn livelihood.

This land was later acquired by the government under development plans of Delhi.

The villagers were compensated in exchange of this land.

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

The villagers were left jobless.

They began renting out their available land assets which was mostly small sections in their houses, to labourers working in nearby industrial areas.

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Located right next to Hauz Khas village, Shahpur Jat began to be seen as a potentially rich space for expansion of this modern market because of its close proximity to Hauz Khas and cheaper availability of land.

The rise of this market attracted workers from other states to work in the factories making garments for these boutiques.

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

An entire migrant colony developed within the village area, where the landlords expanded their two storied houses to as tall as 6-7 floors and rented out to factory workers on per room basis.

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Lal Doras: Biggest source of income: Rents â—?

In most of the cases land price in the Lal Dora is one fourth to one tenth of that in MCD area.

â—?

Due to its proximity to urban centres as well

as

cheap

rentals

(substantial

premium to prevailing rates, but still at a huge discount to the MCD area in the close vicinity), exporters, warehouses , Source: Chattopadhyay et. al, 2014

godowns and corporates enter the lal dora areas.

(Economic Times, 2006)

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

STAKEHOLDERS INSIDE LAL DORA

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

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Case of Lal Dora: Shahpur Jat

SOCIAL IMPACTS INSIDE LAL DORA

Source: Crossing the Lal Dora, Treemouse (2017)

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The way forward... ● Integration of sub-standard decayed pockets (Lal Dora/urban villages etc) with the surroundings of planned proper residential colonies and commercial areas. ● Inclusion of urban villages in municipal limits. ● Promotion of trade and commerce for creation of job opportunities and economic prosperity. ● Making development/redevelopment process largely self-financing and self sustaining and in consultation with the people. ● Renewal of decaying structures, markets and areas, including private properties.

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References: • https://www.escapeartist.com/costa-rica/live/impacts-climate-change-costa-rica/ • Brueckner, Jan K., “Urban Sprawl and Land-Use Controls”, Lectures on Urban Economics. The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2011.

• CHATTOPADHAY, Subrata, Priyanka DEY, and Joel MICHAEL. "DYNAMICS AND GROWTH DICHOTOMY OF URBAN VILLAGES: CASE STUDY DELHI." International Journal for Housing Science & Its Applications 38, no. 2 (2014).

• Bhatta, B.; Saraswati, S.; Bandyopadhyay, D. (December 2010). "Urban sprawl measurement from remote sensing data". Applied Geography. 30 (4): 731–740. doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2010.02.002.

• Jain M., Dimri A. P. (January 2016). “Urban Sprawl Patterns and Processes in Delhi from 1977 to 2014 Based on Remote Sensing and Spatial Metrics Approaches”. Earth Interactions, Volume 20 (2016), Paper No. 14, Page 1.

• Treemouse Research & Design Private Limited. Crossing the Lal Dora (2017).

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