Specifying Characteristics of Informal Settlements by Comparing Four Areas From the Aspects of Houses, Land Tenure and Social Factors in Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

The urban population of developing countries is increasing rapidly. A result disturbing trend is the proliferation of informal housing development in most cities. Similarly, Kabul as one of those fast-growing cities has witnessed rapid urbanization with the many inevitable challenges including, the manifestation of informal settlements. Again, the limited capacity of the government to meet the high demand for building plots has led to growth of the informal settlements. This paper attempts to analyze the characteristics and conditions of phenomena of informal settlements in Kabul city, in order to assist in formulating and designing the most appropriate planning and policy strategies for their improvement. The paper found that the Informal settlements are mainly characterized by informal land tenure, inadequate access to basic urban services, substandard housing, and structures. Again, most of the residents in the surveyed areas were owner-occupiers rather than tenants as the land had been bought from local landholders or powerful individuals who had grabbed the undeveloped land and sold it at a very low price. Contrary to popular perception, residents comprised not only poor but also middle and higher income earners in the city.

Exploring the Characteristics, Drivers and Control Strategies of Informal Settlements on Mkimbizi Hill in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania

“…It includes buying from neighbouring peasants and land speculators, acquiring from relatives, and forceful illegal settlement. Individuals in informal settlements lack land tenure documents such as legal deeds to prove land ownership (Nazire & Kita, 2016). This means that individuals in informal settlements, including the study area, cannot use their plots as mortgages or collateral because they own them illegally.…”

“…Informal settlements are a global phenomenon because they are found in the global South and North (Kamalipour & Peimani, 2019). It has been suggested that informal settlements differ in size and other characteristics from country to country (Nazire & Kita, 2016).…”

A Study on the Relationship Between Street Typology and Human Behavior in the Periphery Kampong of Kapuk, Jakarta, Indonesia

“…─ 898 ─ Furthermore, strong social activities also occurred on the narrower street between 1-2 m, 372 people, higher than those in medium (>2-3 m) and medium wide (>3-4 m) (figure 10). This phenomenon is influenced by some factors such as the existence of amenities such as benches and canopies, natural elements such as trees, the width of the street, attractions for children as well as socio-cultural events (figure 11,12,13).…”

Approaches to Addressing Informal Settlement Problems: A Case Study of District 13 in the Kabul city, Afghanistan

“…Settlement upgrading refers to the provision of basic services such as water supply system, sewage system, and drainage system, paving the streets, and provision of public amenities in the informal settlements, and this approach ensures land tenure (15,16,17). Based on this approach, houses are accepted as they had already built; however, in some cases, dwellings rebuilt is also acceptable.…”

“…The physical problems of informal settlements are enormous and severe challenges to informal residents in Kabul city. In Kabul city, the problems of informal settlements refer to lack of drainage system and sewage system, lack of solid waste management, unpaved and narrow streets, lack of open spaces, recreation and greenery, lack of water supply system, and pollution of underground water [5,6,7]. Also, in most cases, the property right violated then, insecurity of land tenure is another challenge because the illegal land grabbing without official permission is a threat of eviction and displacement [8].…”