"Building Collapse Exposes Urban Governance Failures in Unauthorised Colonies"
Lal Dora
Traditional village settlements absorbed into cities but excluded from formal municipal planning and building regulations.
Unauthorised colony
A residential settlement built without requisite planning permission or adherence to building bye-laws.
India's urban population has grown rapidly since the 1991 economic liberalisation. Cities expanded outward and upward, but public infrastructure, stormwater drainage, roads, and structural regulation, did not keep pace. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 was designed to correct this. It envisioned empowered Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) as the third tier of government, responsible for planning, regulating land use, and delivering urban services. In practice, ULBs in most large cities remain financially weak, politically marginalised, and functionally fragmented. Governance is split across state agencies, municipal corporations, development authorities, and private developers. This fragmentation diffuses accountability and leaves critical functions, including building inspection and enforcement of bye-laws, chronically under-resourced.
The Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) were launched to address urban infrastructure deficits. Both schemes have delivered visible, technology-driven interventions: smart surveillance, LED lighting, and digital dashboards. However, they have largely bypassed the unglamorous essentials that determine whether a city is safe for its poorest residents: stormwater drainage capacity, structural audits of ageing buildings, and regularisation of informal settlements. This gap between scheme design and ground-level need is a recurring theme in urban governance debates.
A large share of India's urban population lives in what planners call Lal Dora areas, traditional village settlements that were absorbed into expanding cities but were never brought under formal municipal planning. These areas, along with unauthorised colonies and slums, exist in a regulatory shadow. Building bye-laws technically apply, but enforcement is weak. Structures are built without occupancy permits, beyond sanctioned floor space, and for uses different from what was approved. In Delhi, approximately 60 per cent of the population lives in unauthorised structures, spanning slums, low-rise tenements, and high-density buildings in urbanised villages.
The structural risks in these settlements are compounded by several factors. Modern construction materials and techniques have shortened building lifespans. Structures built without adherence to safety codes may have effective lives of 30 to 40 years or less. …
How does smart city in India, address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice? (Answer in 150 words)
Consider the following statements regarding Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India:
1.The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, constitutionally recognised ULBs as the third tier of government.
2.The Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution lists 18 functions that may be devolved to ULBs by state governments.
3.Devolution of all 18 functions to ULBs is mandatory under the Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to urban planning in India, consider the following pairs:
Term — Description
1.Lal Dora areas — Traditional village settlements absorbed into cities but outside formal municipal planning
2.Occupancy permit — Approval certifying a building is safe and fit for its designated use before occupation
3.AMRUT — A scheme focused exclusively on smart surveillance and digital infrastructure in cities
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements regarding building safety and urban governance in India:
1.The Model Building Bye-Laws, 2016, were issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to provide a framework for structural inspections and occupancy permits.
2.Under the Smart Cities Mission, area-based development investment is concentrated in designated zones across the entire city.
3.Lal Dora areas in Indian cities are typically covered under formal municipal planning frameworks.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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