Delhi: Urban Space and Human Destinies 8173043663

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DE LHI Urban Space and Human Destinies Edited by

VERONIOUE DUPONT . EMMA TARLO . DENIS VIDAL MANOHAR • A Publication of the French Research Institutes in India

Beyond its monuments, bureaucracy and pollution, there lies a Delhi which is at once more complex, intriguing and, at times, disturbing. This book is not a history of the 'capital, but rather an attempt to trace the ever-changing relationship's between people, power and place in contemporary urban life. It reveals a city shaped as much by migrants, businessmen, slum dwellers, politicians and conservationists as by architects and rulers. Bringing together the work of Indian and .European academics and activists working in the domains of anthropology, demography, geography, architecture, photography, history and political science, this book would be of interest to anyone keen to move beyond stereotyped representations of India's capit.81 city. .

Rs.475

DELHI Urban Space and Human Destinies

Institut Français de Pondichéry (French Institute of Pondicherry): Created in 1955, the IFP is a multidisciplinary research and advanced educational institute. Major research works are focusing on Sanskrit and Tamil languages and literatures-in close collaboration with the Ecole Française d'ExtrêmeOrient-ecosystems, biodiversity and sustainability, dynamics of population and socio-economic development. (Institut Français de Pondichéry, Il, Saint Louis Street, P.B. 33 Pondicherry 605001 , Tel: 91413 334170/334168, Telex: 469224 FRAN-In, Fax: 91413339534, E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.ifpindia.org) Centre de Sciences Humaines (Centre for Social Sciences and Humanities): Created in New Delhi in 1989 the CSH, like its counterpart in Pondicherry, is also part of the same network of research centres of the French Ministry of Foreign Mfairs. The Centre's research work is primarily oriented towards the study of issues concerning the contemporary dynamics of development in India and South Asia. The activities of the Centre are focused on four main themes, namely: Economic growth and sustainable development, International and regional relations, Institutional structures and political constructions of identity and Urban dynamics. (Centre de Sciences Humaines, 2, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi 110011, Tel: 91 11 301 6259/ 301 4173, Fax: 91 11 301 8480, E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/hote/delhi-esh/home.htrn)

DELHI Urban Space and Human Destinies

Edited by

VÉRONIQUE DUPONT, EMMA TARLO, DENIS VIDAL

MANüHAR

\:-

CENTRE DE SCIENCES HUMAINES

lnititut de l'I'cherthe pour I~ dbetoppement

2000

First published 2000 © Individual Contributors 2000

Ali rights reserved. No partof this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the editors and the publisher ISBN 81-7304-366-3 Published l7y Ajay Kumar Jain for Manohar Publishers & Distributors 4753/23 Ansari Road, Daryaganj New Delhi 110002

Published with the support of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (Paris) Typeset l7y AJ Software Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 305 Durga Chambers 1333 D.B. Gupta Road Karol Bagh, New Delhi 110005 Print Perfect A-23 May_puri, Phase II New Delhi 110064

Contents

List ofIllustrations List ofFigures ListofMaps List ofPlates

7 7 7 8

List of Tables

10

Acknowledgements

11

Abbreviations

13

1. The Alchemy of an Unloved City DENIS VIDAL, EMMA TARLo, VÉRONIQUE DUPONT

15

PART 1: LIFE HISTORIES-CITYHISTORY

2. Migrant Women and Urban Experience in a Squatter Seulement SARASWATI HArDER

29

3. Welcome to History: A Resettlement Colony in the Making EMMA TARLO

51

4. Urban Conquest of Outer Delhi: Beneficiaries, Intermediaries and Victims The Case of the Mehrauli Countryside ANITA SONI

75

PART II: PEOPLE AND GOODS ON THE MOVE

5. Images and Voices of Transport Workers in Old Delhi SYLVIE

6.

FRAISSARO

Mobility Patterns and Economie Strategies of Houseless People in Old Delhi VÉRONIQUE DUPONT

97

99

6

CONTENTS 7. Markets and Intermediaries: An Enquiry about the Principles of Market Economy in the Grain Market of Delhi DENIS VIDAL

125

PART III: MONUMENTS OF POWER 8. The Contemporary Architecture of Delhi: The Role of the State as Middleman A.G. KRIsHNA MENON

143

9. Concern, Indifference, Controversy: Reflections on Fifty Years of 'Conservation' in Delhi NARAYANI GUPTA

157

10. Delhi through the Eyes and Lenses of a Photographer SATISH SHARMA

173

PART IV: IDENTITIES AND POLITICS

Il. The Hindu Nationalist Movement in Delhi: From 'Locals' to Refugees--and towards Peripheral Groups? CHRISTOPHE ]AFFRELOT

181

12. Political Profile of Delhi and Support Bases of Parties: An Analysis V.B. SINGH

205

PART V: MAPPINGS 13. Spatial and Demographie Growth of Delhi since 1947 and the Main Migration Flows VÉRONIQUE DUPONT

229

14. Delhi's Place in India's Urban Structure PHILIPPE CADÈNE

241

Chronology of Significant Events in Delhi NARAYANI GUPTA

251

List of Contributors

253

Index

257

Illustrations

FIGURES Figure 12.1

Vote preferences by economic class (A1l1ndia), 1996

218

Figure 12.2

Vote preferences by economic class (Delhi), 1996

219

Figure 13.1

Percentage distribution of migrants in the National Capital Territory of Delhi by place of origin (1951-91)

Jacing Ntap 13.7

MAPS

Map l.l

Delhi: Localities studied and other land marks

Map 3.1

Map of Delhi indicating the different locations from which the residents ofWelcome have been displaced

72

Map 3.2

Official Plan ofWelcome Colony

73

Map 12.1

Parliamentary constituencies of Delhi

Map 13.1

Spatial expansion of urbanized zones in the Delhi Metropolitan Area from 1950 to 1997

26

213

between pages 240-1

Map 13.2 a & b Increase and decrease of population from 1981 to 1991 in different zones of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Map 13.3

Annual growth rate of the population from 1981 to 1991 in different zones of the National Capital Territory of Delhi

Map 13.4

Population densities in different zones of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1991

Map 13.5

Location of resetttement colonies in Delhi Urban Agglomeration

Map 13.6

Location of squatter settlements in Delhi Urban Agglomeration

Map 13.7

Delhi Metropolitan Area: the Central Urban Agglomeration and its peripheral towns

Map 13.8

Number of recent migrants in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1961 by state of origin (duration of residence: five years or less)

Map 13.9

Number of recent migrants in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1971 by state of origin (duration of residence: less than 5 years)

Map 13.10

Number of recent migrants in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1981 by state of origin (duration of residence": less than 5 years)

Map 13.11

Number of recent migrants in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1991 by state of origin (duration of residence: less than 5 years)

Map 14.1

Headquarters of large-scale firms: the share of the public sector

Map 14.2

Local control ofindustrial production

Map 14.3

The density of banks in cities and towns larger than 50,000 inhabitants

Map 14.4

Research and development institutions controlled by the central government

Map 14.5

The universities

Map 14.6

Cities and towns with more than 100 newspapers in 1989

8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Map 14.7

Production units by economic activity

Map 14.8

Economie places controlled by Delhi

Map 14.9

International hotels

Map 14.10

Foreign exchanges

PLATES

between pages 98-9 Plate 5.1

Kulbir Singh: Delhi Transport Corporation Bus Driver

Plate 5.2

Dharma: Goods Cycle Rickshaw Puller

Plate 5.3

Sona: Hand Cart Puller

Plate 5.4

Sriram: Horse Cart Puller

Plate 5.5

Rajnath Tripathi: Auto Rickshaw Driver

Plate 5.6

Rajender Prasad: Blue Line Bus Driver

Plate 5.7

.Jitender Singh: Bullock Cart Driver

Plate 5.8a & b Khari Baoli Bazaar Plate 5.9a & b Ajmeri Gate Plate 5.10

Kuldeep Singh: Four Seater Driver (Phut-Phut)

Plate 5.11

Deepak De: Passenger Cycle Rickshaw Pu11er

Plate 5.12

Gulab Kumar Chaudhary: Taxi Driver

Plate 5.13

Omvir Singh: Tempo Driver

Plate 5.14

Virpal: School Rickshaw Driver

Plate 5.15

Srinivas: Three Wheeler Goods Carrier

Plate 5.16

Vijay Kumar: Truck Driver

between pages 156-7 Plate 8.1

The aura of Delhi: the Capital Complex.

Plate 8.2

The aura of Delhi: the wide tree-lined avenues in Lutyens' bungalow zone.

Plate 8.3

The Revivalists: Ashoka Hote!. (Architect: B.E. Doctor)

Plate 8.4

The Modernists: the WHO building. (Architect: Habib Rehman)

Plate 8.5

Utilitarian modernism: the School of Planning and Architecture. (Architect: TJ. Manickam)

Plate 8.6

Utilitarian modernism: the AGCR building. (Architects: The CPWD)

Plate 8.7

Government housing in the 1950s: Bapa Nagar.

Plate 8.8

The reaction to utilitarian modernism: an upper-dass house in Panchsheel Park.

Plate 8.9

The reaction to utilitarian modernism: an upper-

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ECONOMIC PLACES CONTROLLED BY DELHI.

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