Participatory In-Situ Slum upgrading in Yerwada, Pune

In 2005, the government of India launched a nationwide urban development initiative titled ‘Basic Services for the Urban Poor’ (BSUP), which sought to support and formalise slums by providing shelter and basic services. However, it was reported that a majority of slum dwellers were dissatisfied with the outcomes of the projects undertaken under this program. There was a misalignment between the needs of the slum dwellers and what was actually provided, leading to lower rates of acceptability among the beneficiaries. The Yerwada slum neighbourhood in Pune was upgraded as a part of the BSUP program and is considered as one of the very few successful projects under this program. Due to participatory, incremental, and in-situ slum upgrading strategy adopted, this project received international recognition and was called a success by the government of India after its completion in 2012. Therefore, using Yerwada slum upgrading as a case study, this study explores the transformative potential of participatory approaches in addressing housing challenges. It looks at the perceptions of the slum dwellers and analyses how the participatory slum upgrading process helped in shaping the acceptability of housing outcomes from their perspective. An explanatory research design involving qualitative data collection was employed to explain the relationship between the two variables of the study – participatory slum upgrading and acceptability of housing outcomes. During the on-site fieldwork, in-depth interviews with eight respondents were conducted which allowed then to share their experience and perceptions in detail. Along with this a questionnaire was also distributed to 35 households to collect demographic data as well as data on both the variables of the study. Secondary data was collected from official reports published by the stakeholders, as well as through online lectures and interviews. The triangulation of data from different sources helped in making the findings more robust and increasing internal validity of the study. Data Analysis was done using thematic analysis, which involved coding of data and analysing themes to make connections between various indicators. The findings from data analysis indicated that the participatory approach proved to be instrumental in ensuring that the outcomes of the intervention align with the needs of the community. Though the participation was low in the identification, construction and evaluation phase of the project, the findings highlighted that participation during the design and planning stage significantly shaped the outcomes and improved acceptability. A positive corelation was observed between participation during the planning stage and the physical and socio-cultural acceptability of outcomes. By involving the community in the decision-making process, the project respected the existing social dynamics and cultural practices of the settlement, thus leading to higher rates of acceptability among the community.