The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is set to introduce a significant policy shift aimed at protecting slum dwellers by implementing the West Bengal Thika Tenancy Act. This move seeks to regularise land ownership for thousands of slum residents, providing them with a legal framework for ownership and significantly enhancing their security of tenure.
The initiative comes at a time when allegations of collusion between builders and land promoters have cast a shadow over the city’s slum areas. These allegations include claims that certain builders are deliberately starting fires in slums to forcefully displace residents and pave the way for redevelopment. Under the newly proposed plan, once land ownership is regularised by the KMC, the West Bengal government will construct housing units for the slum residents as part of the ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme. These newly constructed homes will be allocated to the rightful owners, ensuring they have access to better living conditions, without the threat of eviction looming over them. This initiative aims to provide slum dwellers with a safe and legal home, effectively countering the pressures from unscrupulous builders and land promoters seeking to exploit vulnerable communities.
Recent fires in some slum areas have prompted numerous complaints from residents, who suspect foul play. These incidents have raised concerns that some builders may be using fire as a tool to forcibly evict slum dwellers. With no legal ownership of the land, these residents have long been at the mercy of builders and promoters, who may push them out to make way for lucrative development projects. However, with the implementation of the Thika Tenancy Act, the city government aims to eliminate such practices by granting land titles to slum dwellers and providing them with the legal rights to their homes.
According to KMC’s slum department, around 90 per cent of the slums across Kolkata have already had their land regularised under the Thika Tenancy Act. This process has ensured that the land is handed over to its rightful owners, granting them the rights to live and build on it without the fear of being displaced. However, the remaining 10 per cent of slums have faced delays due to legal complications. These issues are being resolved, and it is expected that the full implementation of the Thika Tenancy Act will be completed soon, extending these protections to all slum dwellers in the city. The legal challenges preventing the regularisation of the remaining 10 per cent of slum land are primarily administrative and involve resolving disputes over land titles. The KMC has committed to addressing these issues in a timely manner, clearing any hurdles that could delay the regularisation process. Once this is accomplished, slum residents in the remaining areas will also benefit from the protections of the Thika Tenancy Act, ensuring their long-term stability and security.
The broader objective of this initiative is to foster more equitable urban development by ensuring that slum dwellers are not displaced for the benefit of developers and land promoters. By implementing the Thika Tenancy Act, the KMC seeks to create a more inclusive city, where vulnerable populations are not forced to live in uncertain conditions or at the mercy of unscrupulous developers. Furthermore, the regularisation of slum land aligns with the city’s broader goals of promoting sustainable development and improving the overall quality of life for all residents.
The initiative also highlights the growing importance of sustainable urban planning in Kolkata, as the KMC seeks to balance the needs of developers with the rights of existing residents. While the city’s rapid urbanisation presents challenges, including the need for redevelopment, the Thika Tenancy Act ensures that such progress does not come at the cost of evicting vulnerable communities. As the implementation of the Thika Tenancy Act moves forward, it is hoped that it will act as a model for other cities across India grappling with similar issues of land ownership and displacement. By regularising slum land, the KMC is not only securing the future of thousands of families but also taking a crucial step
