EXPLORING THE CONCEPT

OF URBAN RENEWAL IN THE

INDIAN CONTEXT
The term decline in the context of urban
development is used to describe undesirable
changes.

The local policies and strategies designed to deal

with urban decline, decay or transformation are
termed as urban renewal.
 PHYSICAL RENEWAL CULTURAL RENEWAL

URBAN RENEWAL

SOCIAL RENEWAL ECONOMIC RENEWAL

ENVIRONMENTAL
RENEWAL
Physical renewal leads to improvement of urban fabric;

Social renewal leads to improvement of community and

housing;

Cultural renewal promotes enhancement of culture and

traditions;

Economic renewal leads to new generation of employment

and revenue; and

Environmental renewal leads to minimizing ecological

imbalances in urban environment.
Urban renewal is controversial, as it often implies the use
of eminent domain law to enforce reclaiming private
property for civic projects.

Renewal often resulted in the creation of urban sprawls-

vast areas being demolished and replaced by freeways and
expressways, housing projects, and vacant lots.

Over time the aims and the means of regeneration have

become multi-faceted and more complex to deal with.
Physical investment in ‘hardware’ and in the social
‘software’ of a neighborhood.
 UNITED KINGDOM

Reconstruction: Focus on urban landscape

Revitalization: Focus on social and cultural dimensions

Renewal: Physical, social and economic dimensions

Redevelopment: Community oriented

Regeneration: Holistic and integrated

 UNITED STATES

Historic preservation: Physical fabric

Rehabilitation: Social and physical

Physical renewal: Demolition and construction

Redevelopment: Economic oriented

 INDIA

Historic preservation: Physical fabric

Urban renewal: Physical infrastructure

Physical renewal:

Reconstruction, restoration, renovation.

Demolition, destruction, dislocation.

Re-allocation of land uses. Renovation and adaptive

reuse of historic areas, redevelopment of blighted
areas, development of physical urban infrastructure.
Social renewal:

Rehabilitation, social security, upgrading quality life.

Removal of obsolescence, eradicating deprivation, removing

decline and distress.

Rehabilitation of weaker section, upgrading community

spaces, poverty alleviation programmes
Economic renewal:

Employment opportunities, generation of funds, revenue

generation, upgrading reforms.

Removing unemployment

Emphasis on utilization of funds rather than fund

generation, revenue generation
Environmental renewal:

Improve quality of local environment, balancing

ecosystem, restore sustainability, preserve environment
sensitive open spaces, utilization of natural resources.

Enhancing neglected areas

Emphasis on conserving nature, developing oxygen spaces,

awareness to sustainability issues.
Cultural renewal:

Creative tourism, inspire civic pride, marketing of urban

culture, preservation of cultural and historic heritage,
use of new technologies for improved management of
archaeological, historic and religious collections

Revival of old rehabilitation

Conservation of heritages sites traditionalist, nationalist

and modernist approach of cultural renewal
 Policy type 1950

Major strategy and orientation Reconstruction and extension of

older areas based on Master Plan

Key actors and stake holders National and local govt., private
sector developers

Spatial activity level Local and site level

Economic focus Public sector investment with

private sector involvement

Social context Improvement and living and

housing standards

Physical context Replacement of inner areas and

peripheral regions

Environmental approach Landscaping and greenery

 Policy type 1990 to date

Major strategy and orientation Focus on urban living quality

Key actors and stake holders Public private partnership,

government semi public

Spatial activity level City and regional level

Economic focus Private sector taxation

Social context Emergence of new social

organization

Physical context Revitalization, comprehensive

renewal

Environmental approach Environmental sustainability

impact assessment
There is absence of holistic and integrated approach in
understanding urban renewal. The prevailing planning
tool, master plan, does not incorporate the integrated
concept of renewal.

Earlier renewal was restricted to heritage sites and

now the focus is the slum areas, where lack of proper
social and economic interventions results in
displacement of slums.
THANK YOU
KRISHNAKALI GHOSH
091110213
ART AND GRAPHICS
2nd SEMESTER
B.PLANNING
2009-2010