 ROAD-ROLLED!
According
to the Master Plan, the lal dora areas
were meant only for residential
purposes and were not to be put to
commercial use. Hence, the Delhi
High Court ordered demolition of all
commercial properties in lal dora
areas. The most talked about
demolitions were boutiques of rich
and famous fashion designers, who
had bought land from villagers.
But demolitions meant huge losses
for the villagers too. The angry rural
folks ask why did the authorities not
clamp down when the construction
works were in progress. They have
been conducting mahapanchayats
and protesting ever since, in order to
get an exemption for lal dora areas.
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The line of no-control
The process of acquisition was straightforward enough. The
residential area of the village was demarcated by a
boundary called lal dora (a revenue term in use since 1908)
and the surrounding land was developed into colonies. A
tiny portion of the phirani or the common land was left as
a buffer between the village and the surrounding colonies.
So, as the government concentrated on the development of the urban settlements around it, the village or the lal dora
area was left untouched.
As sociologist, Harshad Trivedi, explains it in his book Urbanism:
A new outlook: As these villages were not declared urban villages
under the regulatory acts of the local government, the common lands
within the lal dora was put to commercial use pending future sanction
of the municipal authorities concerned.
The urbane touch
The transformation was not limited to physical landscapes only. Upheaval caused by this ‘urbanisation’ process
disrupted village economy, altered social hierarchies, and transformed culture and conventions of the villages forever.
Agricultural lands were bought by the government and villagers were given some amount of money as
compensation. They had now lost their basic means of livelihood. So the hunt for alternatives, that fitted in with the changing economic structure began. The landless found
employment in the city, but continued to live in the village. The more affluent cashed in on the city’s ever-growing
demand for cheap accommodation. So multistoryed residential blocks were built along the existing houses.These
catered to the low-income group city dwellers and the huge migrant population.
 Bursting at the seams
As the villages were not provided sewerage facilities initially (even now only a rudimentary system is in place), the living
conditions deteriorated, becoming more and more unhygienic. Moreover, as there were no civic rules and
planning regulations here, the streets became narrower and cramped. Such
was the deterioration of these villages that the municipal authorities declared
some of them as slums.
Again, as per a 1963 Delhi government notification, people in lal
dora areas need not get a building plan sanctioned before they construct.
In other words, no buiding by-laws apply here. No wonder construction
works in the lal dora areas are random and haphazard.
So most urban villages now have turned into urban
nightmares. They are concrete jungles,with towering houses and narrow
lanes, which block light and ventilation.
Also, these serpentine lanes are inundated with traffic. With not an
inch of vacant space left for parking,the village interiors are choked with
vehicles, making even walking through the streets a challenging task.
But the process of urbanisation of villages still continues.
More and more rural areas are being acquired to meet the housing and other needs of the rising population of Delhi
(see box). According to Kishore Singh, a development consultant in Delhi, as many as 33 villages were classified as
new urban areas in the 2001 Census. As of now, Delhi has around 200 villages, which have been ‘urbanised’ and with
the growing city, more villages are joining the category.
Chaupal
They are clueless about their ancestors, but people living in these villages can point out where the chaupal is. When a
GT team member arrived at the Metro station in Rohini in West Delhi, and asked a rickshaw driver to take him to the
Naharpur village, he was asked "Where do you want to go?". As he fumbled for an answer, the friendly driver told
him, "I will take you to the chaupal."
A chaupal is typically located at the centre of a village. They vary widely in shape and size. While some remain a
paved area around a huge tree, others have been turned into buildings with sprawling rooms by the Delhi
Development Authority (DDA).
Usually chaupals are used by the village elders to meet
in the evening and discuss the news of the day. GT team found the chaupal of Shahpur Jat abuzz with multiple
teams of villagers playing cards. In some areas they are used for hosting weddings. The Pitampura village chaupal is being
put to more innovative use. A local women’s group now conducts sewing classes here in the evenings.
Although the village panchayat has been abolished in urbanised villages, but still a committee of elders is active, and the members collect money
for maintenance and repair of chaupals.
But their popularity is clearly on the wane, as youngsters prefer to ‘hang out’ in markets
of neighbourhood colonies.
Khaat / Khatiya
It is a traditional cot, which has a coir couch woven over a wooden
structure. Every village house-holds owns at least one of these.
Even some of the ‘immigrants’ have fallen victim to the cosy
comforts of the khatiya.
It is usually placed in the courtyard of the house, which is
also the traditional drawing room. Old timers take a nap on
it during the day or just sit on it with the hookah. They are also
used as beds on hot summer evenings.
 Hookah
We all know tobacco
smoking is injurious to health,
but try preaching this to a
hookah addicted tau (uncle) in a village! A cylindrical smoking device, which
filters the smoke by passing it through water,
it is now a rage among the youngsters in the
city’s spiffy restaurants.
But in a village it is not fashionable trend, but a
daily requirement. You would typically find
the elders sitting on a khatiya and enjoying the
hookah. Anytime of the day. |
