Right to the city
For the first time in India’s history, there are more people living in towns and cities than in villages. Many of these urban residents have migrated from rural areas in search of a better life. However, while they may find work and other opportunities in urban areas, most of them join the ranks of the poor. They are forced to live in illegal and squalid slum settlements from where they can be evicted at any time. As migrants, they are stigmatized by their ethnic, regional and religious identity and are constantly reminded of their second-class status.
In the two decades of economic liberalization, government policies towards the urban poor have become more hostile. The public land on which squatter settlements come up is now in great demand, with private and public developers vying to build transport infrastructure, sports facilities, malls, luxury housing, and other projects that exclude the urban working class.
India is undergoing rapid urbanization, with approximately 35–36% of its population currently residing in urban centers. Millions of rural residents migrate to towns and cities annually in pursuit of employment, healthcare, and educational opportunities. While urban areas serve as engines of national economic growth, arriving migrants often enter the unorganized workforce and reside in informal settlements with limited security of tenure.
Urban development policies must balance infrastructure expansion with the housing and livelihood needs of the urban working class. Informal settlements face vulnerabilities related to habitat security, inadequate municipal services, and the threat of displacement. When informal settlements are cleared without adequate in-situ upgrading or nearby resettlement, workers face disruption to both housing and employment.
SRUTI advocates for an inclusive approach to urban planning that recognizes working-class communities as integral contributors to economic life. Urban working populations—including construction workers, domestic staff, waste pickers, and street vendors—are entitled to dignified living conditions, basic civic infrastructure, and legal protection under statutes like the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
SRUTI Fellows support urban working-class communities by facilitating access to formal housing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), social security coverage under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), and basic municipal utilities. By promoting participatory urban governance and habitat security, SRUTI aligns its urban initiatives with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 1 (No Poverty).