REBUILD A HOME IN DELHI : TOWARDS BETTER RESETTLEMENT OF THE URBAN POOR

Abstract: Development-forced displacement and resettlement (DFDR) is a widely existing phenomenon in Delhi, and even other mega-cities in India. This study explored the underlying causes of DFDR and defined the beneficiaries and victims of it. This study applied Impoverishment Risks and Restoration model combined with asset vulnerably framework to assess the impact of DFDR on Delhi's urban poor and their capacity of restoring livelihood in resettlement colony. The in-depth fieldwork shows a significant loss in household capital assets that will lead to incapacity in the restoration of livelihoods after displacement. With the fact that Delhi has been on its way to constructing a global city and have achieved significant results, this study argues that to reach further development in Delhi, the poor slum dwellers should not be seen as the burden of development projects, but be fully involved in DFDR projects and policy-making process. Besides, it was found that national policy/law reformulation plays a crucial role in mitigating negative outcomes brought by DFDR. To prevent further improper displacement, development needs to involve community participation, the reformulation of national policy/laws, as well as the engagement of neighborhood proactively.