Displacement and Power: Community Voices in Chandigarh’s Sustainable Urban Planning

Abstract (English)

Rapid urbanisation and inadequate planning drive displacement in urban slums, marginalising community knowledge. Using Chandigarh, India, as a case study, this research examines power dynamics in rehabilitation efforts, exemplified by Janta Colony, Sector-25, where demolition for urban revitalisation threatens residents. It aligns with the panel’s focus on displacement and knowledge reconfiguration, drawing parallels with rural territories where bureaucratic oversight erases marginalised voices.
The study explores how administrative power undermines community agency in Chandigarh’s informal settlements. It investigates residents’ subjective experiences through an anthropological lens, including narratives like storytelling, revealing distrust and exclusion from top-down rehabilitation policies. Findings indicate that policies often disregard community insights on livelihoods and social networks, intensifying displacement fears. Community resistance, expressed through shared narratives, contests this knowledge appropriation, reflecting power imbalances similar to rural marginalisation.
The study advocates integrating community knowledge to address power dynamics, promoting inclusive rehabilitation aligned with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Chandigarh’s policymakers can advance equitable urban planning by valuing residents' perspectives, fostering sustainable development that preserves community identity. This research contributes to the panel’s discourse on reconfiguring knowledge in marginalised spaces, offering insights for urban and rural contexts where power dynamics challenge sustainable futures.