Incremental developmental scheme : an innovation in sites-and-services schemes and an alternative to illegal subdivisions in Hyderabad, Pakistan

Author: Adnan Hameed Aliani

AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no. HS-81-29

Year: 1981

Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)

Type: Thesis (M.Eng.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1988

Examination Committee: Yap Kioe Sheng (Chairperson); A.T.M. Nurul Amin, Raymon W. Archer (Examination Committee Members)

Abstract: Theoretically, the natural / historical process of housing delivery h as been found to be LAND–> PEOPLE–> WORKS (houses and infrastructure). Modern sites and services projects follow a distorted version of t h e natural housing process, which is LAND–>WORKS–>PEOPLE. Illegal subdivisions follow the natural process of housing delivery. Therefore they are more successful in providing housing for urban poor. Empirical data shows that due to high threshold of entry, middle income group pressure, the buying of plots for other than residential use and the lag in delivery of land, sites-and services schemes have failed in Pakistan. At t h e same time illegal subdivisions, established by subdividing illegally occupied government land, have flourished. Low cost of entry, defector security of tenure, incremental development and immediate delivery make these more suitable for the urban poor. The problems of illegal subdivision are that they are illegally established, therefore infrastructure delivery is very slow, they interfere with government plans and contribute to corruption in society. The Hyderabad Development Authority following the mechanisms of illegal subdivision established the Incremental Development Scheme . The main features of the scheme are that there are no standards in housing, there is incremental delivery of infrastructure and infiltration of higher income groups is kept out by forcing the allotters to bring their families and household goods and stay in a reception area. Once the HDA has decided that the family is in genuine need of shelter, it gets a plot. It has to pay a monthly installment towards infrastructure. Once enough money has been collected for the delivery of a certain infrastructure a meeting of residents is called and they decide what infrastructure to implement. A comparative study of the IDS with an illegal subdivision and sites and services projects in general was carried out. Th e results showed t h at t h e Incremental Development Schem

Scholarship Donor(s): Canadian International Development Agency

Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering

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