Urbanization and Slum Formation

Abstract

The formation of slums need not be inevitable with rapid urbanization. Such an argument appears to be contradicted by evidence of large slum populations in a large number of developing countries and particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like Asia. The evidence discussed suggests that city authorities faced with rapid urban development lack the capacity to cope with the diverse demands for infrastructural provision to meet economic and social needs. Not only are strategic planning and intervention major issues in agenda to manage rapid urbanization, but city governments are not effectively linking the economic development trajectory to implications for urban growth and, hence, housing needs. In the following discussion, a case study is presented in support of the argument that city governments have to first recognize and then act to establish the link that is crucial between economic development, urban growth, and housing. This is the agendum that has been largely neglected by city and national governments that have been narrowly focused on economic growth with the consequent proliferation of slum formation as a housing solution.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Respiratory Symptoms, Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis in Slum Area of a Rapidly Developing Indian City

“…Recently there has been a sharp rise in urban settlements of poor called slums in various cities of developing countries [6,7]. This demographic trend is an outcome of rapid economic development causing migration of rural communities to urban establishments primarily in search of better livelihood.…”

“…Disproportionate urbanization creates a pertinent discrepancy between provisions of basic civic amenities by infrastructure and demand in the population. Therefore many such migrants tend to live in large separate ghettos within the cities or outskirts of cities [6,7].…”

“…Approximately 1 billion people live in slums which are estimated to double in next 20 years [9], with growth rate of 2% per year [6,7]. 47% of the urban population of countries in South East Asia live in slums [6,7], and constitutes 60% of the world's slum dwellers [6,7].…”

“…47% of the urban population of countries in South East Asia live in slums [6,7], and constitutes 60% of the world's slum dwellers [6,7]. What is intriguing is that, despite such enhanced statistics of slum population globally, there is no knowledge regarding respiratory health amongst slum dwellers in context to asthma and COPD.…”

A Critical Evaluation of the Ogui Slum in Enugu, Nigeria

“…The underlying factor of this persistency lies in the fact that urban rehabilitation and renewal could not keep up with the rate of urban growth. As observed by Giok and Kai(2007),the formation of slum need not be inevitable with rapid urbanization. They emphasized that city authorities faced with rapid development lack capacity to cope with the diverse demands for infrastructural provisions to meet economic and social needs.…”