Urban Corridors around the World

URBAN CORRIDORs across the World

1. Central Asia:

the industrial corridor developing in India between Mumbai and Delhi, will stretch over 1500 km

2. South-East Asia

-the manufacturing and service industry corridor in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur is

clustered within the Klang Valley

-1500 Km from Beijing to Tokya via POYONGYANG NORTH kOREA AND SEOUL

connects at least 77 cities with populations of 200,000 or more. More than 97 million

people live in this urban corridor, which links four separate megalopolises in four countries, effectively merging them into one

3. Africa:

the greater Ibadan-Lagos-Accra urban corridor - spanning roughly 600 kilometres linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana - is the engine of West Africa’s regional economy

Few more Mega Region development

1. China's Hong Kong-Shenzen-Guangzhou mega-region, home to 120 million people

2. JAPAN S Nagoya-Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe, likely to hold 60 million by 2015

3. BRAZIL S São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro mega-region where 43 million people now live

ADVANTAGES

stimulating business, real estate development and land values along their ribbon-like development areas. These corridors are also improving inter-connectivity and creating new forms of interdependence among cities, leading to regional economic development growth.

DISADVANTAGES

However, the disadvantage is that, in some cases, urban corridors can result in a country’s capital being the only city of importance (known as urban primacy). This can result in unbalanced regional development as these capital cities strengthen their ties to existing economic centres (i.e. each other) rather than allowing for more diffused spatial development.

VISION - CONCEPT NOTE ON FEW CORRIDORS

1. DMIC corridor

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2. The Nampo-Pyongyang corridor - North Korea

A strategic area for European investment in DPRK

Vision

There are major economic problems affecting the development of North Korean regions.

This corridor recognizes the importance of transport and logistics as key factors in regional economic growth.

Investment opportunity is determined by market size, industrial specializations, accessibility, and infrastructure provision and Government conclude that Nampo-Pyongyang corridor is best suited for investment by European companies and thus this corridor becomes the region for producing and exporting their goods and services.

Water conflicts in BMIC region

Contamination of water (in lakes in the vicinity) was a challenge that the project was facing. NICE had entered into an agreement with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board

(BWSSB) for use of more than 150 MLD of water which was 1/4

the of the amount of the water supplied to Bangalore city. Thus, the project was expected to adversely affect supply of water to the city. In addition, there were ongoing disputes on the Cauvery river water between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

BMIC was expected to receive 85 MLD of waste water free for non potable use, depriving farmers who used it for various agricultural purposes. This decision was also a region with extensive irrigation network based on the River Cauvery basin.

In January 2008, BWSSB decided not to permit NICE to shift water and sewerage lines into four locations as it could have affected the water supply and sanitation in the city. Shifting of the pipeline was essential for the completion of the alignment in the prevalent form. In spite of repeated request from NICE, the pipelines were not shifted stating technical opinions. On 24 January 2008, the High Court of Karnataka directed the BWSSB to shift the water and sewage pipelines in four locations so that NICE could complete the peripheral road, which was part of the BMIC project.

Alternative Water Allocation Mechanisms

Alternative Water Allocation Mechanisms

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Alternative Water Allocation Mechanisms: Indian and International Experiences
Author(s): Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Meyra Mendoza
Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 31, No. 13 (Mar. 30, 1996), pp. A25
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1. India has vast water resources, but is not equally shared among regions irregular distribution of rainfall. Irrigation thus play a critical role in Indian agriculture. Now increasing trend is usage of groundwater resources

2. However, growing population and urbanisation, are putting pressures on transfer of water out of agriculture
In Urban center, the poor face a lot of problems and often end up paying high prices for domestic water supplies.
In nearby rural areas the problem is still more acute. They poor rural people many a times will not have access to potable water and sanitation services, and pollutants from disposal of untreated sewage and poor sanitation are becoming add to problem.

3. Now with growing industries , the demand for water has gone up and If Industries exists in rural areas then they polluted the water sources and water becomes unfit for consumption purposes.

Therefore , there are competing sectors for allocation (or transfer) of water and also one needs to address the problem of the degradation of the water resource base

This paper argues that - greater attention to the allocation of water ( water rights and decisions on when, how, and where water will be delivered).
Holistically deal with decisions on the use of water in different sectors, and a greater importance on Water rights and incentives of water users

ALTERNATIVE WATER ALLOCATION MECHANISMS


Three types of alternative water allocation mechanisms:
(a) administrative allocation,
(b) user-managed allocation
(c) market allocation

Theoretical Arguments for New forms of Urbanisation

Theoretical Arguments for New forms of Urbanisation

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References

1.David Harvey, “Limits on Capital”

2.David Harvey, “MEGACITIES LECTURE 4”

3.David Harvey, “A Brief History of Neoliberalism” (2005)

4.David Harvey, “Spaces of Global Capitalism: Towards a Theory of Uneven Geographical Development” (2006)

5.Saskia Sassen, “Locating cities on global circuits”

6.Saskia Sassen, “Cities in a world economy”

7.Henry Lefebvre, “The Production of Space”

8.Neil Brenner, “The Urbanisation of Neoliberalism: Theoretical debates”

9.Manuel Castells, “The Urban Question. A Marxist Approach”

10.MICHAEL GOLDMAN, "Speculative Urbanism and the Making of the Next World City"

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New types of development in the peri-urban peripheryFramework: The four criteria's are ( Harvey, D: 2006)1. The material embedding of capital accumulation process in the web ofsocio-ecological life- leads to more urbanization and geographical development reflects the different ways in which different social groups have materiallyembedded their modes of society into the web of socio-ecological life2. Accumulation by dispossession- Capital surplus is absorbed through geographical expansions Leads to uneven-geographical development through long term debt andfinanced capital investment embedded in land3. The law- like character of capital accumulation in space and timeconversion of NA land a much simpler process4. Political, social and class struggles at a variety of geographical scales.

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Theoretical Framework of GOLDMAN article1. State is initiating a set of dynamics to convert rural land by integrating it into world class city and global economy and this puts the majority of people under a type of rule of law which is described by author as ‘state of exception’.2. ‘Conversion’ of the rural into the urban affects the class and community relations, social and economic relations, and has lead to new forms of industrialization (say IT) and urbanization (say world class cities). 3. These are new modes of spatial and social production changes the role of the State and thus creates a ‘speculative government’ in cities with exceptional rules of dispossession. 4. This leads to redefining state relations, urban citizenship, rights and rules of access.

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Firstly, the author argues that ‘transnational policy networks’, the International Financial Institutions and other International agencies are influencing the making and implementing new projects in Bangalore.

Second, the role of old bureaucracy is replaced by powerful ‘parastatal’ agencies and is helping to bring about new land acquisition under ‘eminent domain’ for the public good and thus leads to converting the rural lands to urban periphery which he describes it as “informal everyday practices of land encroachment, lower-class people’s dispossession”. Sassen talks about the 'unbundling of the State'. Few activities of the State are diminished and few other activities are enhanced such as replacing the old bureaucracy with ‘parastatal’ agencies, signing of International treaties with UN, ILO, IMF, WTO and many more and she describes this as process of 'Rescaling'. Therefore new institutional arrangements (parastatal agencies) are constantly being constituted in response to circumstances of material embedding of capital circulation and State also creates laws such as ownership of private property of land, individual judicial rights over the land etc to promote this kind of urbanization. (Sassen)

Third, author argues that certain new forms of capital investment and their relations have emerged in Bangalore and these are linked to other urban centres which are very similar to transformations occurring in other cities across Asia with world-city ambitions. He also says that there is active politics over land speculation and active dispossession and in the process the leads to ill- paid labour which has an effect on their jobs, identities and communities and author argues that this is highly speculative and living in Bangalore is itself become very dangerous .

David Harvey argues that capital moves in circuits and looks are new markets for investment in first circuit. In the Second circuit this surplus capital is invested in some tangible assets such as land so that more surplus and profits are made. Harvey also talks about the Historical- Geographical- Materialism where historical gives the temporal unfolding, geographical gives an idea of spatial order which defines private property, boundary of State and material embedding. Thus the material embedding of capital accumulation process leads to more urbanization and geographical development which reflect the different ways in which different social groups have materially embedded their modes of society into the web of socio-ecological life. Capital accumulation has to be transformed into material such as land and thus shapes land pattern.( Harvey: 2006 )This process is dynamic and is evolving and one can see linkages between theoretical concepts and practical experiences in Bangalore.

The Author then traces the history of growth of industries such as Public-sector companies in Bangalore and the role of State in promoting these industries and gives the dynamics of housing, type of labor employed and changing land pattern due to growth of these industries. However, he argues that until mid-1990's Bangalore didn’t face major problems , but after that one can observe ‘mega-city problems’ with characteristics of social inequality, mass displacement and dispossession, growth of slums, violence among caste and religious groups and epidemic public health crises due to severe water supply and sewage problems, traffic problems and air pollution etc. The author also argues that there are coalitions among the private corporations such as NASSCOM, CII, NRIs etc and they help to connect globally so that capital circulates globally and gives examples as how that State at all levels Central, State, Local level intervenes and creates a conducive environment for capital to move.

David Harvey argues that In Neo-liberal era , where the private players look for new investment areas for greater profits by adopting new and superior technologies such as investing in new transport networks which requires new lands and thus promotes new urbanization . Thus the space- time dimension of urbanization is changing rapidly due to superior transport and communication facilities. Physical investments in land are very important for newer investment in production and consumption. Any spatial arrangements achieved under one set of transport and communication such as rail roads and telegraph will have to be changed to meet the conditions of any new set such as air transport and Internet has lead to evolving inequality of geography of land and territorial division of labor and creates contradictions in the way capital embeddes itself and thus one can draw similarities in the theoretical concepts of David Harvey and practical experiences in Bangalore as described by the author.( Harvey: 2006 )

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Manuel Castel's Analytical framework gives five components which can be traced to this article. First, Economy expressed in Space- At different period’s different economy exists. Before 1990's the economy of Bangalore was mainly constituted of Public Sector enterprises, but this changed to IT industry and services after 1990's. Bangalore also had Manufacturing centres but most of them have now shifted to tier-II cities such as Hosur and thus a hierarchy of cities is formed. Place becomes secondary and communication and technology become primary.

Second, Collective consumption- capitalist mode of production in urban could not be located in the sphere of production, but it had to be in the sphere of reproduction of labour power. Reproductive capacity of labor which included food, wages for production become important part of labour compensation. Since large quantities of labour are needed, they all are collective consumers and State plays an active role in bringing about collective consumption. Therefore due to these reasons many employees/ workers/ labourers came and settled in Bangalore and increases the stress on providing basic services, infrastructure etc and this leads to contradictions. Example: Who has access to water and who does not?. Since Water Supply Board (BWSSB) has limited water to supply to Bangalore and thus those who can't afford to pay or those who are illegal ( not recognised by State) are excluded from the water provision and this could lead to class struggles against the ruling powers.

Third, Exchange- Market is facilitated by space. There is a continuous modification, multiplication, innovation, change in the way markets are functioning in Bangalore. The author doesn't talk much about these.Fourth, Institution- The author argues in detail that Government in Bangalore is very speculative. Three significant institutional shifts have occurred in the governance arena in Bangalore

First, Author talks about the role of IFI and their hidden agenda and Central Government's scheme of JNNURM and its attached conditionality of reforms have changed the type of institutional structure in governance. Logic of decentralisation is not to have layers of Governance structures above it but by enhancing the local government’s role the Global and National Agenda of Neo-liberalism can be unleashed. ( Sassen) . Therefore with these institutional changes offered to attract new capital and this also created unequal geographical developments such as growth of SEZ in IT sectors etc ( Castels, Harvey: 2006).

Second, author gives a perspective on expert commissions and task forces that have been set up since 1999 which played a critical role as an institutional apparatus that could ‘meet demands that the present system of elected corporations does not adequately fulfil’. The argument was that this would enhance citizen role and they could take informed and effective decisions. Therefore setting up of Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) with representation from IT, BT sectors , NGOs, business community and ‘ABIDe Bengaluru' created a trend of giving elite corporate and citizen leaders the power of decision-making and in the process circumventing existing forms of government decision-making.

Third, The Role of Institution of citizen action groups such as Janaagraha and Public Affairs Centre (PAC) led by ex-IFI and Wall Street professionals is given more prominence in the government agencies by introducing new concepts such as citizen’s report card which have made their way into JNNURM.

Thus the author argues that with these institutional changes such as decentralization and local empowerment, the Governance is weakened and this have not led to democratization but rather it is undermined and voluntarism and civil-society participation have temporarily triumphed.

The author then argues that the farmers in rural areas are not able to produce to maximum limit and whatever they produce is not enough and many of these rural farmers have small land holdings with the reference to BMIC project. One can trace this to Safa argument, that there are large processes of rural subsistence. Therefore there is large distress among the farmers with very less profits , however large number of them are still employed in farming and this is not similar to freeing to labour. (Safa) . Since the State is not a homogenous entity, there are places to intervene and one can work through these contradictions ( Castels) and thus these rural farmers with small land holdings with the help of NGOs started a struggles against land acquisition and later on they also filed a case in High Court.

Safa also gives the characteristics of urbanisation is the presence of huge informal economy where most of the urban and rural population is employed in multi-faceted ‘informal’ economy with occupation ranging from textiles, apparels, silk processing, mechanical fabrication, floriculture, food processing etc which employs most of the population and generates between 55 and 75% of Bangalore’s GDP. However the world-city projects such as BIA, BMIC, IT corridor etc are seen as positive for the growth of city and its economy and has greater political backing while neglecting this huge diverse informal sector.

Author argues that reason for conversion of agricultural land to urban non agricultural land is that the Markets view these agricultural land in the fringes of the city are 'dead capital' buried within unproductive public and poor-people’s landscapes and State is actively involved in such activities and quotes examples of reports of land grabbing of senior government and party officials and this money is used for political party funds. Author also argues that State which owned large tracks now and before, however before 1980s State earned their incomes from rent collection and maintenance fees; but now in stark contrast, state agents earn their incomes by turning public goods into real estate, and these real estate has become highly remunerative largely due to branding of Bangalore as 'World Class City'.

With the rise of IT sector trends in land-use patterns have changed drastically. IT’s main investment is in real estate. As Global competition enhances these IT companies tend to invest their surplus in land because of it lucrative returns (more than IT revenue itself) . Therefore converting undervalued public or community land or private land into real estate ensures that IT companies are globally competitive. Land values in the recent times have skyrocketed anywhere between 160% - 200% between 2001 and 2006 and cites the case of Infosys and Satyam . The author argues that reasons for these are First, most of foreign IT firms no longer purchase land for their own campuses but are leasing other ones and earn profit and they are also government initiatives and subsidies given to IT companies to attract them to Bangalore.

Second, the number of SEZ applications for IT office parks is increasing which implies that more public money, land and resources are being channelized into these IT firms to offset the start-up maintenance costs.

Sustainable Livelihood in Water Sector

Sustainable Livelihood in Water Sector
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Paper: The Rural Water Livelihoods Index
Caroline A. Sullivan*, Alasdair Cohen**, Jean-Marc Faurès** & Guido Santini**
FAO
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A focus on wider water supply-livelihood linkages, e.g. through impacts on household labour and income generation, would lead to changes in the way water supply activities are conceived and implemented.
The purpose of the Rural Water Livelihoods Index (RWLI) is to provide a framework for assessment of water-related components which influence rural livelihoods, and can support rural poverty reduction.(lack of access of capital and result of deprivation these resources(Sen))
In terms of structure, the RWLI (Rural Water Livelihoods Index (RWLI))addresses four key aspects of rural livelihoods. These are:

1. Access to basic water services: Access to basic water
services includes access to clean and affordable water supply and to adequate sanitation.

2. Crop and livestock water security: Crop and livestock water security
is a measure of how agricultural activities are affected by climate variability and how resilient agricultural systems are to such variability, including droughts and floods. It is linked, in part, and where needed, with access to irrigation and livestock watering facilities.

3. Clean and healthy water environment: Clean and healthy water environment represents the water quality component of the index, in relation to human health and living conditions

4. Secure and equitable water entitlement: secure and equitable water entitlements are related to access to water, rights, and the degree to which the rule of law is present and equitably enforced.

About The BMIC- Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project

About The BMIC- Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project

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The concept of Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) was developed to have an efficient infrastructure corridor between two cities Bangalore and Mysore, as well as to have planned and organized disposal of population through growth centres, which will acts as counter-magnets to the cities growth. The Government passed an order on 20-11-1995 for implementing the Corridor Project

The BMIC project comprises of the following:

1.Four lane Express way of 111 km length between Bangalore and Mysore with a Provision for extending the same to six lanes in the future [90m wide right of way]

2.Four lane (expandable to six lanes) southern section of peripheral road of 41 km length connecting Bangalore-Pune (NH-4) to Bangalore-Hosur (NH-7) [75m wide right of way]

3.Four lane link road of 9.1 km connecting "0" point of Express way to the junction of Chord Road (60m wide right of way)and Mysore road.

4.Elevated road of 3.1 km length connecting the link road to the city center

5.The Expressway will have 8 interchanges,the peripheral road will have 7 interchanges at the junctions with the various highways leading into the city and the link road will have interchange

6.Five new townships proposed along the BMIC i.e. commercial township, corporate township, industrial township, heritage township and eco tourism township.

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BMICAPA
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The project area and its components pass through the jurisdiction of several Planning Authorities making it cumbersome and unwieldy to implement the corridor development in a comprehensive manner. In order to have a single window agency and facilitate a planned development of the corridor, the areas falling under different authorities in the corridor were taken and amalgamated to form a local planning area (LPA) under section 4 (A) (3) of the Karnataka Town & County Planning Act, 1961 (KTCP Act) comprises of a total area of 701 sq km which includes 125 revenue villages, 50 part villages vide GO No. UDD 377 MIB 98 dated 13-7-1999. Subsequently, the Government constituted a Planning Authority for the same u/s 4(c) of the KTCP Act called “Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority” (BMICAPA) vide Government Order 1999.

Sustainability and Equity - Concepts

Sustainability and Equity - Concepts

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1. Sustainability and Equity
Each of these have two sides- Normative and Descriptive
Normative because , each states a desirable goal or criteria for evaluation
Descriptive because, each can be empirically observed / or measured

2. Each are lined and has both - ends and means

3. Equity - implies a better distribution of assets, opportunities, capabilities and enhancement of most deprived
Minimum definition of equity of water requirement must include adequate per capita water needed based on certain standards ( which are logical and rational)( ENDS)
Equity in access to water resources ( MEANS) are a precondition for gaining adequate and minimum water requirement.

4. Sustainability- Bruntland definition .
Has three broad components- Environment, Financial and Social
Environment Sustainability- preserving finite resources with long term view and not wasteful and polluting practices by growing urbanisation

Financial Sustainability - Sustainable financing of the project.

Social Sustainability - ability to maintain and improve livelihood by enhancing local and global assets and capabilities.
Negative side - Not able to cope up with stress, shocks ( From Sustainable Livelihood Approach)

Water dimension
Sustainability - of sources of water resources ( STOCK) is an END in itself.
Usage of water resources for future generation ( FLOW) is a means

In terms of resource productivity, actual practices of farmers, poor in rural are more sustainable with traditional usage of tanks, lakes etc for water requirement.

Critics
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Equity in access to water resources by no means assures Sustainability resource use without good regulation for resource management and exploitation. ( Compared to Tragedy of Commons)

Implications of Bulk Water Transfer

IMPLICATIONS OF BULK WATER TRANSFER ON LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS
A Case Study of the Melamchi Water Supply Project in Nepal
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Dhruba Pant, International Water Management Institute (IWMI-Nepal)
Madhusudan Bhattarai, The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC)
Govinda Basnet, University of Georgia
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1. Bulk Water Transfer has a great implication on the local water management and socio-economic relations in villages from where this Bulk water is transferred.

2. The Informal water management, traditional water management systems are very much effective in regulating water supply in the villages, but Bulk Water Transfer will change the scale of water transfer and power inequality between the organised public sector( Government - BWSSB) and unorganized marginal water users ( who in many cases have Common Property Rights)

3. Inter sectoral water transfer- which means transfer of water from rural to urban . This kind of water transfer also has great implications on the traditional water management systems in the villages. As many case studies such as Udaipur case study have shown that with introduction of Bulk Water Transfer leads to diminishing of traditional water management systems such as small tanks, ponds etc.
What are the changes in Water Rights Structure in a village?

4. Another implication is that - There are major institutional and policy concerns such as equitable sharing of resources, environment justice and overall technical and economic viability of project.

5. Public Policy issues and concerns of rural-urban transfer vary by scale of project , location and relative water scarcity

6. Effect - Socio-economic , hydrological, water management system, livelihood

7. Accompanying this kind of system are Institutional reforms with Centralized Governance systems for water distribution in the region ( Here it is entire BMIC corridor)
Major questions regarding this Institutional reforms are

a) What new policy /Act are passed ?
b) Any new Authority is created? If not, who now takes responsibility in water distribution?
c) Any amendments are made to present Acts/ Policy?
d) Who creates and owns these new assets?
e) What are the accountability mechanism in place?
f) How regulates i) Surface water ii) Ground Water

Basically looking at Institutional changes and Changing role of STATE.

8. Another issues is - Diversion of water from 1 basin to other ( Inter basin )
In BMIC region , there are 4 major rivers - Kaveri, Arkavaty,
iS Water going to be transferred from one basin to another?
Analysis of overall scenario of water use in basin, particularly in dry season.

9. The state government illegally committed 150 million liters per day of Cauvery water to the townships without consulting the Cauvery River Tribunal

10. Policy should reflect temporal and spatial variations of water availability and actual uses/scarcity scenario for various uses in the river basin.
Study should address the physical characteristics of river basins
Socio-economic features

11. Study should find out
- total population in region
- total annual water flow
- water requirements for basic drinking needs
- Land holding in the rural

12. Bulk water transfer, implies that less water in that place. Therefore this Paper brings out the speed with which farming community will adjust to new cropping patter which will suit low level of water supply.
Gives info on present cropping patter in each season.

13. This paper also brings implications of project in community Livelihood

14. Water Rights
- Customary rights - acquired thr years of usage
- Statutory rights - by Govt policies/ laws etc
How does Statutory Acts merge with existing traditional system

Priority of water use
- Drinking and Domestic
- Irrigation
-Agriculture
- Industry
etc

15. Paper also give info on -> Land rights go with Water rights in some cases and there are other arrangements such as Tenant farmer, construction workers and many more get water through some agreed terms .

Project/Self Study On BMIC Corridor- Habitat TISS

Planning Concentration -Project cum Self Study on BMIC corridor
Jogging down all the ideas of Planning Concentration -Project cum Self Study on BMIC corridor in this blog.

Jul 19, 2011


Common Theme : To look at Institution of BMICLPA involved in implementing this project. Also the roles of other institutions such as BDA, BMRDA etc, the overlap in jurisdiction, conflict areas, other issues in the functioning of these institutions. Also to research in the positions of Authority is occupied by same Officials serving in different departments and what effect this has on decision making, overlap in jurisdiction in district of Ramanagara, Mandya and Mysore districts.

Also do a comparative analysis of Old and New Master Plan and few preliminary analysis

Theme 1:

Land Acquisition , R and R ....: Looking at distribution of the costs and benefits of this corridor developments among existing farmers, residents and private players etc . Study the social groups that will be made vulnerable by these transformations (like small farmers, landless agricultural workers). Looking at structure of these social groups ( whether they are small farmers, caste issues, their links to political leader to influence decision making etc)

1) how land has been acquired and the costs and benefits that have resulted, including resistance to acquisition and strategies of different groups including political strategies and coalitions formed?

2) To verify whether there is an official R&R policy, what it says and whether people have been rehabilitated and compensated as per this policy, analyzing the “Social justice” ( see how it is defined) of this?

Data sources for this- one is certainly field work and not sure of others

Theme 2: Water


Project required NICE to use approximately 150 MLD of water. This would disrupt the water supply of the city. Also, BMIC was supposed to get 85 MLD of waste water for various purpose. This would affect farmers severely who use this water for irrigation of their land. Looking at HC cases involving BWSSB related to BMIC

1) how decisions on water distribution and privatization are taken, by whom and on what basis, and estimating what are consequences?

2) Current and future possible sources of water (for eg is ground water used in majority), where they come from, tariff paid, internal differences in access within BMICLPA corridor (eg btw villages and township and between BMICLPA and other peripheral areas and/or core city.

3) Areas and points of conflict over water allocation to BMIC as studied through legal route (eg high court cases), if this is with regard to individual complaints or dispute btw sectors (eg agriculture vs industry or rural vs urban). or is it some other question

The water supply, if possible, should also not only cover but also not only cover the NICE Townships but also parts of BMIC LPA in the Bangalore - Bidadi - Ramanagaram - Channapatna belt i.e. the APZ - 1 mentioned in the Structure Plan of Bangalore Metropolitan Region. You may have to go through the Structure Plan which now has been revised.

data sources -BWSSB And need to check how I can access this data sources and there is a time constraint of 3-4 months

Combine Theme 1 and 2 especially in relation with the environment protection report that is supposed to have been prepared for the clearance of BMIC project.

Also I want to use GIS maps to show this output of this project in Interesting Maps

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Sat, Jul 30, 2011

I did some preliminary research and found this

Rural Department side - INSTITUTIONS involved in Water Sector

Water Resources Department - irrigation and drainage + ground water
But domestic and drinking water issues ( also in rural) is Public health Engineering dept
Agricultural Dept and Water shed department- Water applications, sprinklers to farmers , but in some states PR and RD manages this
Industries Dept is concerned with utilisation an available of water
Large irrigation projects under a command area Development dept - looks at multi-disciplinary and multisectoral development of irrigation command areas.
Small water bodies an smaller land water related construction and maintainance works ( + han pumps for drinking water an domestic water use) falls under the ambit of PRI and thus rural developmet department.
Environment Dept- concerned with water quality and sufficient minimum flows in streams and rivers to ensure that impurities do net get concentrated in certian places.
Due to urban-rural linkages an the fact that at many places water from rural areas is transported to urban areas, UDD has to co-ordinate regarding rural water use.
Medical and health Dept - water borne diseases with saniaion and cleanliness..

I will try to link this info with Water Supply/ Distribution
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Tue, Aug 9, 2011


Topic of Project: BMIC- Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor: A Critical look at Institutional Dynamics and Basic Service delivery with a Special case of Water Supply and Distribution

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Framework:
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The Corridor development , A new kind of Urbanisation.
Why is Corridor development promoted? Studying the larger phenomenon of infrastructructure driven urbanization, such as urban growth corridors - why is there an emphasis on such forms of development?
What is driving this sort of development? what are the elements of such development /growth corridors? who develops?
Who are the Stakeholders involved. ( Doing a Stakeholder Analysis)
Creation of World Class cities on this Corridor ( 6 Township + Knowledge center are planned) these need high class infrastructure, basic services delivery. These will be connected Globally.
Many new Industries have come in in this corridor. Leads to more Urbanisation.
Then looking at service delivery of basic services to these centers and the effect it has on the villages in this corridor Ex- Water Supply and Distribution . Is this going to be sustainable? Is it going to be piped water supply? 24* 7 supply? How are pipes going to be laid? Will it lead to acquiring new lands apart from planned corridor? What about the 8 Lakes in BMR region? Can BWSSB use these to supply water. But sustainability of these sources is a question since these lakes are dried off? What are the cost implications of Supplying Kaveri Water to this corridor.

Will these township create pockets of high class vs low class with Big jumps, leaps in service delivery.
Now is there is huge shortage of supply of water in BMR will few sections be left out of this process? How and Why?
Then BWSSB can plan accordingly and bring Policy Intervention for better equity and Social Justice.
is Water for farming going to be diverted to World Class Towns? Then who is going to supply food if farm land are urbanised?


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Institutional Dynamics
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BMICLPA is the authority. Jurisdiction probs, overlap b/w BBMP, BDA, BMRDA , then 4 districts
BWSSB is giving water in BMR Region. This has two sides Eastern and Western sides. Eastern has few Water projs sanctioned
Then cuts across 4 districts.

What forms of new institutional arrangements are required? what are the emerging problems/contestations you may forsee with this kind of urbanization in terms of economic development, social inclusiveness, urban sprawl, strain on infrastructure, displacement of farmers, problems with land acquisition, etc

Rural Department side - INSTITUTIONS involved in Water Sector

What is the role of DC in co-ordination at Taluk level??
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Looking at future projections of population, new infrastructure- water pipes, housing , swerage etc
Projection of Spatial growth of new towns, industries and overall urbanisation
Does this have an effect on Bangalore??
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Also looking at new growth of Business in BMIC and opportunities lost to NH4 ( Min of Road and Transport)

What does by-passing mean? Is it to move away from conjested urbanised place? Does it now create new urban centers?

Outcomes : Policy Intervention
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Map spatial distribution of water.
What new Infra for Water distribution are needed?
Stakeholder analysis maps
water provision instituitional mapping,
mapping areas of possible water conflicts in BMIC
Maps of future growth potential areas/corridors ( May be)


Policy Analysis topics

* Study existing Policy of BWSSB In Bangalore
* Water distribution system in Bangalore
* Study the New Bangalore Master Plan and Structure Plan 2013
* Study the Old Master Plan of BMIC 1996.
* Compare Old Master Plan vs New master Plan of BMIC

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Thu, Sep 15, 2011


Concept Note of Self Study
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Bangalore–Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) intends to redirect development away from Bangalore in order to alleviate urban density in the interior and expand the overall space of Greater Bangalore to include new and old townships, small cities, village clusters and agricultural land.

Argument 1:
“economic geography” Allowing it to expand geographically- > more Urbanisation.
Therefore, new townships, corporate center, industrial center, farming/marketing center, ecotourism center or heritage center adjacent to rural setting, agriculture lands.
Also these townships will Lead to Leap Frog urban centers growth.
Vast contradictions. Rural Vs Urban.
Agriculture vs Industries. ( For water )
(Note : Mind you the land needed for this corridor is acquired and those villages which are just next to this corridor still exists.)


Argument 2 :
But why do these farmers sell their land?

Rural economy leaves the farmers few options but to sell their land at depressed prices to the government.
Difficulty proving ownership (especially women and the poor)
Land tenure relations in reflect deeply historical, localized, multilayered and intergenerational sets of informal agreements that have made it possible for laborers, village denizens to live and prosper
landowners vs non-owners. Conflicts in villages

Linkages with Institutions – new patterns of urbanization along corridors increased Role of new parastatal agencies such as KIADB, BWSSB, BMICLPA


What happens in Service Provisions. Example : Water- BWSSB ( In BMR region ) and KUWSDB( outside BMR region) will provide water to new towns , industries etc and farmers will lose livelihood.
(Looking at case study Basic Service Provision - water . Water is just a lense to look at spatial inequality created by this corridor)

Argument here is that :
Since BWSSB is overburdened to provide water in BMR itself , it is difficult for BWSSB to provide water to LPA. The main argument here is that, since there is limited water, this water will be given to townships and industries and in turn ignoring the Agriculture ( farmers ).
Should we in 1st place allow the Agriculture to die down??

Now if these industries pollute near by water bodies, ground water etc, this leads to farmers loosing their livelihood since they depend on these water bodies for livelihood. What effects this has on

I) farmers livelihood

ii) What are the differential impacts in a village, since not all will be impacted equally. The rich and well off villagers , hierarchy of caste , those who have access to power and can withstand these shocks ( Have Coping Strategies ) will be impacted less. ( Equity Dimension)

iii) Others who are most impacted, will migrate to urban centers in search of new livelihood opportunities.( Equity Dimension)

iv) This leads to break down of social- structures and loss of natural resources. ( Sustainable Livelihood Framework - Sustainable Dimension)

A central challenge to this type of corridor urbanization is the absence of regional governance structures that can regulate their growth, leading to “institutional fragmentation,” “continued spatial segregation of the villagers ,” “environmental challenges leading to destruction of water bodies” .


To understand this can I do a mapping of One entire village??


Argument 3 :

Then these rural people whose land is acquired in this corridor migrate to neighbouring
i ) villages ii) towns iii) cities.
Rationale: Rural urban migration is argued to both enhance economic growth and reduce rural-urban inequality, enabling cities to take advantage of scale economies, and people to abandon poor rural villages.
But the argument is that - Do these poor rural villages really benefit from this corridor? Studies have shown that they migrate the periperies, slums etc which are even more worse off. Leads to urban poverty. Growth of core and peripheral regions and Increasing spatial inequality.

(Again Looking at case study Basic Service Provision - water . Water is just a lense to look at spatial inequality created by this corridor.

1.Drinking Water requirement in the LPA
2.Population expected in LPA

3.Maximum water affordable to Bangalore

4.Integration of K.U.W.S & D.B and BWS & SB drinking water policies in the LPA so that there is no deficiency / overlap.


Step 1, 2, 4- KUWSDB and BWSSB have a policy on drinking water in BMICLPA. ( Assumption: I am Hopeful to get access to these Documents )
K.U.W.S & D.B policy on drinking water (covering the villages and urban centres not catered by BWS&SB).
B.W.S & S.B policy on drinking water in the Western and Eastern sectors of BMR

I think I will need to look at BWSSB estimation in BMR region and other sources of estimating Drinking Water Requirement for expected population.

Then I will have to cross check these estimated with Field Visits to villages and get the picture of villagers ( Village Sampling has to be done so that this data is represented in best way )

In step 3- Linkages of this data with Institution Mechanism.
Usage of Wagle Sir's Framework
My doubt - Should research provide a Prescription to Integration of KUWSDB and BWSSB so that there is no overlap?
Looking at overall Arguments from this Institution Mechanism?


Argument 4:

1.Possibility of drawing water from other sources
2.Linking of lakes / tanks in policy of water supply in LPA.

Now based on the above research, looking at other sources of water.
Argument : Since there are already existing sources of water in LPA, Policy of Water Supply should integrate all the sources of water in holistic manner to ensure Sustainable and Equitable
What are the parameters to measure this Sustainability ?

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Thanks & Regards

Atul Kulkarni