Environmental Improvement of Slum Areas-An Alternative to Low Cost Housing Programme

Urban growth gets symbolised by haphzard development of housing pattern wherever & whenever land gets available. This development takes place even in area where basic amenities for urbanised settlement like roadlink, water supply, drainage, general sanitation, electricity & other such services and community life do not exist. The problem of providing housing to these masses for Indian conditions is so vast and manifold and the resources available for the same are so megre that it is felt that in addition to taking up mass housing programme, it can also be attempted to provide minimum essential additions to existing basic infra-structural services to these human settlement to provide adequate environmental living conditions. An attempt has to be done to provide minimum inputs of infra-structure services to these settlement which can deliver the maximum environmental improvement results and which can postpone demands of large scale low cost housing programme. This can give breathing time in phasing low cost housing programme.