POLICY REVIEW

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: STRENGTHENING SOCIAL

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE URBAN POOR

Ensuring that the benefits cultural exchange, driving

MUKTA NAIK AND of India’s urbanisation and the nation’s development.
KANIKA BANSAL economic development are Ensuring that the benefits
accessible to all—especially of this progress reach
marginalised and vulnerable all segments of society,
populations—is a crucial aspect particularly marginalised
of the Sustainable Development and vulnerable groups, is
Goal 11 and the New Urban key to the realisation of the
Agenda. Recognising the deep
Sustainable Development
linkage of urban poverty with
Goals and the New Urban
infrastructure and services
like housing, healthcare and Agenda.
education, this article focuses on The Indian labour market is
the role of social infrastructure predominantly informal, with
in alleviating the social and
around 90% of the workforce
economic vulnerabilities of the
engaged in precarious and
urban poor and breaking the
vicious cycle of poverty. Drawing unregulated jobs. In urban
on the current policy directions areas, informal workers
of the Ministry of Housing provide critical services like
and Urban Affairs, the article construction, waste picking
explores possible strategies for and sorting, street vending
the sustainable development of and domestic work, but
essential social infrastructure find themselves relegated to
like homeless shelters, crèches, the fringes of society. This
labour chowks, vending zones, became painfully evident
etc. Further, it outlines planning during the COVID-19
provisions, operations and pandemic, when authorities
maintenance strategies and realised that mandatory
Mukta Naik, Lead-Policy, financial sustainability models stay-at-home policies were
Centre for Sustainable Urban to make such infrastructure un-implementable for those
Livelihoods, National Institute of sustainable and responsive; and who relied on daily wages for
Urban Affairs provides illustrative examples to
economic survival and used
[email protected] inspire localised action.
substandard shared amenities
Kanika Bansal, Research Fellow, to meet basic human needs.
Introduction
Centre for Sustainable Urban
Livelihoods, National Institute of Indian cities are rapidly Urban poverty is closely tied
Urban Affairs emerging as hubs of economic to limited access to quality
[email protected] growth, innovation, and housing, basic services,

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 POLICY REVIEW

healthcare, and education. social capital for access. In any food assistance, subsidies
Poor infrastructure society, social infrastructure, etc.
exacerbates the socio- which includes soft and
economic challenges faced by hard infrastructure around However, cities face
the urban poor, trapping them services and processes that enormous challenges such
in cycles of poverty. In Indian respond to community as land scarcity, resource
cities, it is not uncommon for needs and enhance their mismanagement, operational
the working poor, including social capacities, plays an inefficiencies, and funding
many migrants, to live on important role in upholding constraints in producing
footpaths or rely on homeless quality of life, equity, law and managing social
shelters for housing and and order, stability and infrastructure. We argue that
depend heavily on public social well-being. Without creative and collaborative
sanitation facilities and targeted investments in social approaches are the need of
community canteens for their infrastructure, urban areas the hour, so that communities
basic needs. Construction risk deepening inequalities, of the working urban poor
workers and labourers in exacerbating poverty, and are equal participants and
transportation and logistics stalling socio-economic beneficiaries of ‘Viksit Bharat
frequently congregate in mobility, particularly for the Vision 2047’, which aims to
unregulated areas in search urban poor. establish India as a $32 trillion
of daily wage employment. economy.
Women providing care to In this article, we highlight
affluent households in the how the development of Past and Emerging
form of domestic help or adequate and inventive Responses
childcare often leave their social infrastructure can
In alignment with its guiding
children without adequate contribute to crucial
philosophy of “Sarvodaya se
care when they are working. aspects of the Government
Antyodaya tak” (from welfare
Improving quality and access of India’s existing policy
measures towards inclusive for all to the upliftment of
to infrastructure is not only the last person), India is
supportive of the livelihoods urbanisation, including the
following: dedicated to addressing the
of the urban poor but also challenges faced by its urban
essential to help them endure (i) The acknowledgement poor. Through initiatives
harsh conditions, including of a crucial unorganised such as the National Urban
exposure to extreme weather, workforce through Livelihoods Mission
exploitation, and health risks. registration, both through (NULM), the government is
Informal sector workers national databases like making significant progress
experience multiple the E-Shram and through in enhancing infrastructure
deprivations, including state- and scheme- and services for marginalized
infrastructural deficiencies, specific modalities; urban communities, with the
due to their residential, goal of breaking the cycle of
(ii) Improved access to basic
occupational, social, and amenities and services multidimensional poverty.
economic vulnerabilities. like water, sanitation and In the first phase of NULM,
Unable to afford market- energy; and over 1,950 Shelters for Urban
provided infrastructure, they Homeless (SUH) have been
depend on public provision, (iii) The provision of social established, accounting for
and particularly rely on protection and safety 80% of the total shelter space
community networks and nets including pensions, created. These shelters are

32 HUDCO-HSMI Publication
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designed to meet diverse ideas include setting up practices, both from India
needs, including general City Livelihoods Centres and around the world, that
shelters (which make up more (CLC), well-equipped can be adapted, replicated,
than three-quarters), as well Labour Chowks for daily and scaled according to the
as shelters for men, women, wage workers (particularly local context. For instance,
families, and special groups, construction workers), and Bogotá’s “Care Block”
reflecting a wide distribution. improved care infrastructure. initiative addresses the
additional burden of home
Progressive state policies have The CLCs are envisaged as care, which often heightens
allowed regions like Rajasthan one-stop hubs for informal the vulnerability of neglected
and Tamil Nadu to develop a workers, providing spaces women. The program
significant number of SUHs, to market their products centralises key services for
while cities such as Surat and services, access essential
female caregivers, improving
have created large-capacity information, and avail of
their well-being and reducing
shelters to accommodate large various government services.
the time spent on unpaid
migrant populations. In cities Labour chowks will revamp
tasks. Bogotá has established
like Kanpur and Kochi, SUHs existing labour congregation
Care Blocks and Care Buses to
have played an essential areas into dedicated spaces
bring essential infrastructure
role in promoting economic where workers can access
empowerment by providing and services to support
basic amenities and find job
access to PM SVANidhi women caregivers and their
opportunities. They can also
loans, skill training, and families in both urban and
vital points for disseminating
other resources. In Delhi and rural areas.
vital information about rights
Aurangabad, shelters are also and government welfare In Indonesia, community-run
offering educational support schemes, and availing services childcare centres called Taman
to young residents, while in like registration and grievance Penitipan Anak (TPA) support
Vadodara and Kolkata, shelter redressal. Building care working parents, particularly
occupants are being integrated clusters in close proximity to mothers. Established in 2001
into government schemes urban poor households that by the Directorate of Early
such as Aadhar, Poshan, PAN, offer bundled services around Childhood Education, these
and ration cards. The success multigenerational care and centres provide services for
of the SUH component early childhood education children aged 0–6 years.
of NULM showcases the can significantly unburden Located near workplaces
transformative potential the lives of women from low- like plantations, markets,
of social infrastructure in income households, freeing and factories, TPAs serve
addressing the vulnerabilities their time for remunerative both formal and informal
faced by informal workers. work. The collaborative economy workers across all
Over a decade of these efforts of various stakeholders income levels. They operate
interventions have will be crucial to developing 8–10 hours daily, primarily
demonstrated the importance these social infrastructures on run by local foundations,
of enhancing social ground. self-help groups, companies,
infrastructure to address and private entrepreneurs.1
Global and Indian Good
specific occupational needs Learnings drawn from such
Practices
and broader vulnerabilities examples would provide
of informal workers. Some There are several good insight in developing centres
1
https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@gender/documents/genericdocument/wcms_737555.pdf

April, 2025, Volume 26. No.1 - SHELTER 33

 POLICY REVIEW

focused on intergenerational
care, particularly for women
in the informal workforce.
Further, the city of Lagos is
planning 104 community
recycling centres that will also
act as information centres Figure 2. Kadiya Naka, Ahmedabad
with a focus on women and (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation)
youth empowerment. The
city intends to place two In India, improved labour such spaces can play a pivotal
centres per local council chowks are already functional role in developing cities that
development area and up to in several cities. For example, meet the needs of informal
20 jobs will be created per Kadiya Naka in Ahmedabad sector workers.
centre.2 This highlights the and Shehari Nirman Chowk
need to understand the local in Noida feature designs Barriers and Challenges
context and needs by adopting that provide shaded seating The development and
an evidence-based and spaces, access to sanitation, management of social
participatory approach while and drinking facilities for daily infrastructure for informal
implementing intervention at wage labourers. Government sector workers is hindered
the city livelihood centres. investment in creating more by various barriers. These
include land scarcity,
Health Care Center resource mismanagement,
School
Public space for operational inefficiencies,
alternative Economies funding limitations, and
(e.g. Women’s Entrepreneurship)
social barriers. Some of the
Productive key challenges are outlined
public space below:
(e.g. Food Court) Circular
routes Land Availability: In rapidly
growing cities across India,
Care Service Building
(For the care receivers) particularly in metropolitan
and hill cities, land has
Community become an increasingly scarce
space and precious resource. Given
(e.g. Urban gardens)
this limitation, carving out
land in appropriate locations
Pacifying for the development of
of roads
“Caring those who essential social infrastructure,
care” building such as shelters, livelihood
Bike lanes (for the caregivers)
centres, and public amenities,
is very difficult and often
costly, creating an additional
Figure 1. Care Block, Bogota
obstacle to the expansion of
(https://oecd-opsi.org/blog/bogota-cares/)
vital infrastructure.

1
https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@gender/documents/genericdocument/wcms_737555.pdf

34 HUDCO-HSMI Publication
 POLICY REVIEW

Resource Mismanagement: planning frameworks further integrated approach to

The efficient allocation and complicates the identification social infrastructure. Such an
management of resources, of optimal locations for these approach must redefine social
both financial and physical, essential facilities. infrastructure to cater to the
is a major challenge. Many diverse needs of informal
Funding Constraints: Social
urban development or social workers while optimising
infrastructure projects
welfare programs face issues land and resource use. This
are capital-intensive and
with misallocation or poor requires effective urban
require substantial long-term
management of resources. planning, robust operations
investment, not only for their
Without adequate data or and maintenance frameworks,
initial development but also
proper estimates supporting financial sustainability
for ongoing operations and
the demand for specific models, and equitable
maintenance. Government
infrastructure, these projects distribution of infrastructure
programs often face
often get deprioritised, across communities. In this
budgetary constraints that
leading to inefficient use of context, a “4-Cs” strategy is
limit the ability to adequately
available resources. proposed, which includes the
fund and maintain critical
Operational Inefficiencies: infrastructure such as shelters, following elements:
Bureaucratic delays, lack care centres, and livelihood 1. Contextual Infrastructure
of coordination between support facilities. Planning
government departments,
Social and Cultural Barriers: A set of clear standards and
and inefficient policy
Informal workers, often guidelines for city officials
implementation slow
marginalised or stigmatised, and urban planners would
progress and hinder the
face difficulties in accessing go a long way in realising
success of social infrastructure
services specifically designed robust and adequate social
projects. Furthermore, when
to meet their needs. Gender
infrastructure is poorly infrastructure in Indian
disparities, especially in
maintained or lacks sufficient cities. Currently, the Urban
care giving and domestic
operational support, services and Regional Development
work, further exacerbate the
deteriorate over time, Plan Formulation and
challenges, with women in the
reducing their effectiveness. Implementation (URDPFI)
informal sector facing even
Low importance in policy and greater barriers to accessing Guidelines only acknowledge
planning frameworks: Policies support services and social night shelters (or shelters
aimed at supporting informal infrastructure. Social and for the urban homeless)
workers is usually focused cultural factors like caste, and suggests providing a
on welfare and not planning class and ethnicity present maximum of 1,000 sqm,
as well as often lack clarity, significant challenges in subject to availability of
consistency, and coherence. integrating informal workers land for every 10-lakh
Additionally, frequent into urban development population. As per the Assam
changes in policies can initiatives. State Livelihood Mission,
disrupt long-term planning the establishment of 8 City
and cause delays in project
Opportunities and
Livelihood Centres will be
implementation. The absence Recommendations permissible for population
of integrated development Given the myriad challenges, more than 10 lakhs3.
plans that incorporate social there is a pressing need Guidelines for other desirable
infrastructure into larger urban for a comprehensive and social infrastructure facilities
3
https://dohua.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/city-livelihoods-centreclc

April, 2025, Volume 26. No.1 - SHELTER 35

 POLICY REVIEW

labour chowks and care such as social welfare hubs, when workers are away. This
centres for informal sector community canteens (e.g., would require visualising
workers, currently absent, Amma Canteen, Indira social infrastructure from a
could be good starting points. Canteen), public sanitation comprehensive and holistic
facilities, and community viewpoint.
However, to ensure that social
toilets—is vital for creating
infrastructure is optimally 4. Convergence in Service
a more coordinated and
positioned to serve local delivery & Operations
efficient system. For example,
communities, it is essential Sustaining the success of
a labour chowk could be
to identify key areas that social infrastructure requires
strategically placed near
maximize both accessibility effective and consistent
public toilets and community
and impact. Success depends operations, maintenance,
kitchens, improving access for
on a thorough understanding and service delivery
informal workers to critical
of the specific infrastructure mechanisms. These can be
services and facilities. This
required and a strategic enhanced by leveraging
would enhance the utility of
selection of its location, community potential and
existing infrastructure and
based on a comprehensive strengthening existing safety
improve the overall well-
evaluation of the local nets. For example, local self-
being of the workforce. Such
context. This includes help groups, community
hub and spoke approach
assessing demographic, interest groups, and area-
would optimise the use of
socio-economic, and cultural level federations can actively
existing investments and
characteristics, as well as participate in the management
infrastructure.
existing infrastructure, local and upkeep of these facilities.
needs, and potential for future 3. Coordinated Infrastructure
Moreover, aligning these
growth. Delivery
projects with central and state
However, the lack of Maximising the efficient government schemes and
standards and guidelines use of land and developing exploring Corporate Social
to identify the location social infrastructure in an Responsibility (CSR) funding
and distribution of social integrated manner is crucial. can ensure the sustainability
infrastructure hinders the Infrastructure should be of operations. To further
ability of local governments designed to serve multiple improve service delivery,
to take these factors into functions and purposes, user feedback systems should
account. Such demand-based either by utilising the space be implemented to make
planning could be achieved at different times or by responsive adjustments based
by adopting a participatory allocating specific floor areas on the evolving needs of the
approach through involving for different uses. For instance, community.
the local communities and a public toilet, community
learning centre and social
Way Forward
informal worker groups, and
through the use of digital welfare hub could be located Prioritising social
technologies. on different floors of the same infrastructure is a reliable
building. Additionally, a large pathway for cities to become
2. Capitalize on Existing
hall and play area in a labour inclusive and equitable. This
Infrastructure
chowk, designed with an calls for urban stakeholders
Revitalizing and reimagining open layout, could function to keep an additional 3-Cs -
the use of existing social and as a day care centre for Community, Creativity and
community infrastructure— children during the daytime Collaboration - at the heart

36 HUDCO-HSMI Publication
 POLICY REVIEW

of their urban development vulnerable workers and for such interventions.

approaches. identify appropriate avenues Finally, enabling varied
for developing public spaces stakeholders to work together
The citywide implementation
of social infrastructure and social infrastructure is crucial. Social infrastructure
appears daunting, but can for socialising, rest and offers the rare opportunity for
be simplified by borrowing interaction, while supporting urban local bodies, private
informal workers at the landowners, community-
a page out of the popular
neighbourhood scale. owned enterprises, CSR
“15-minute city approach”,
foundations, technical
which places the community Cities must adopt a creative experts and investors
at the centre and imbibes playbook, drawing on tactical to collaboratively create
equity and inclusivity as core urbanism to leverage localised public goods that enhance
principles. The approach and, at times, even temporary the possibility of creating
can be used to prioritise opportunities, to demonstrate sustainable livelihoods and
underserved areas, design the positive effects of social delivering a higher quality of
streets and transport systems infrastructure and thereby life for those at the bottom of
that cater to the needs of generate longer-term demand the pyramid.
References
Chopra, D. (2023). Investments in childcare for gender equality in Asia and the Pacific’. Report, International Labour
Organization and Asian Development Bank.
Latham, A., & Layton, J. (2019). Social infrastructure and the public life of cities: Studying urban sociality and public
spaces. Geography Compass, 13(7), e12444.
Ortiz, C., & Duque Franco, I. Care as Urban Policy Domain: Enacting Bogota’s District Care System. Available at SSRN
4835210.

Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor

The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is an ambitious infrastructure project aimed at creating a world
class industrial zone along a 1,504-km stretch between Delhi, the national capital and Mumbai, India’s financial
hub. Spanning six states – Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra- the project
is designed to enhance industrial growth, foster urbanisation, and position India as global manufacturing hub.
With an estimated investment of USD 100 billion, the DMIC, is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the
world, promising to reshape India’s economic landscape.
The project spans a corridor of 150-200 km on both sides of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), a high-
speed rail network that facilitates efficient movement of goods DFC, covering a total area of approximately 436,000
square kilometers. This region accounts for nearly 14% of India’s land area and contributes a significant portion of
the country’s industrial output. The DMIC aims to double employment, triple industrial output, and quadruple
exports in the region.
The corridor encompasses several key components, including nine mega industrial zones, high- speed freight
lines, three new ports, six greenfield airports, and a six lane expressway connecting Delhi and Mumbai. These
infrastructure projects are complimented by smart cities with integrated townships and state-of-the-art utilities,
including a 4,000 MW power plant and water supply systems to meet the demands of industrial and residential
developments.
One of the defining features of DMIC is its emphasis on sustainability through incorporation of green initiatives such
as energy efficient buildings, solar power plants rainwater harvesting systems and environmental conservation. The
economic impact of DMIC is expected to be immense. The project aims to generate over three million jobs during
its construction and operational phases significantly boosting employment in the region. The corridor’s enhanced
connectivity and logistics infrastructure will reduce transportation costs, making Indian goods more competitive in
the global markets.

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