Abstract
In the post-liberalization period in India, the state has undertaken ventures in collaboration with private actors in the name of development and urbanization. People losing land, livelihood and being uprooted from their settlements is quite common in the context of states with emerging urban spaces, whether in the form of infringement on farm lands for the setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) or the removal of slums for city development. While doing so, the state often invisibilises the concerns of a particular section of the population who then becomes victims to the process of ‘development’. The attempt in this chapter is to capture these ideas within the framework of statehood, governance strategies and the people by invoking both primary and secondary sources of data in the context of a fast growing urban centre, i.e. Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
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Notes
- 1.
As the 2011 Census data show, that 377.1 million people stay in urban areas, when compared to 286.1 million in 2001.
- 2.
A taluk is a sub-district administrative unit.
- 3.
According to the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority’s (2007) ‘Revised Master Plan for Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region 2021’; Visakhapatnam Agglomeration’s population has increased from 10.57 lakhs in 1991 to 13.29 lakhs in 2001. As per the 2011 Census the population count is 20.37 lakhs.
- 4.
In situ development refers to the rehabilitation of people close to the original site of residence.
- 5.
Ex situ development denotes relocation of individuals to a distance farther away from the original site.
- 6.
Prior to independence, both Srikakulam and Vizianagaram were part of the Visakhapatnam district. Due to administrative reasons, the district of Srikakulam was carved out in 1950 and Vizianagaram separated in 1979. However these administrative boundaries could not restrict migration of people from these districts, to Visakhapatnam city, on account of it being an important urban centre in the region.
- 7.
According to Census 2011, “all areas recognized as ‘Slum’ by State, UT Administration or Local Government, Housing and Slum Boards, which may not have been formally notified as slum under any act”.
- 8.
After the construction of a park in the location where Seva Nagar existed, the land has been established as railway property.
- 9.
Based on the interviews conducted by the author of residents from 71 households, in the time period between January and November 2014, in Visakhapatnam city.
- 10.
Testimony of a respondent in the Kommadi colony regarding the JNNURM houses.
- 11.
See p. 22 for percentages of migrant population.
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Acknowledgements
I thank my Doctoral supervisor, Prof. N. Purendra Prasad, for his important suggestions and comments; Mr. E.A.S. Sarma (former Union Energy Secretary and convenor of Forum for Better Visakha) for his valuable insights on the city; Mr. Pragada Vasu (Secretary of ARTD) for helping me understand the field, Ms. Jyothirmayi, Mr. Shekhar and the entire team of ARTD (past and present) for their cooperation and support. I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the residents of Madhurawada, Kommadi and Pendurthi resettlement colonies for sharing their life experiences with me.
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Ganguly, D. (2018). State, Governance and Urban Poor: Insights from Visakhapatnam City. In: Mukherjee, J. (eds) Sustainable Urbanization in India. Exploring Urban Change in South Asia. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4932-3_5
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