GUWAHATI SLUM BY

SHIFANA K
SRUTHY S KUMAR
YADHU
VAISHAK MALLU
The present study has been conducted in the three slum areas of Guwahati viz.
Arikati Basti Harijan Colony, Fatasil Ambari Harijan Colony, and Punjabi Patty Harijan
Colony; which are situated in the centre of Guwahati City under Kamrup Metropolitan
District. These slums are peopled by different communities such as Bihari, Punjabi,
Telugu, Bengali, Assamese etc.
 Distribution of total population of sample households

In the three localities under study, a total number of 124 households are covered
belonging to various communities and of various types of families.

Out of the 124 households total population covered under the study is 690.
Highest numbers of households are in Fatasil Ambari locality constituting 37.10
percent, followed by Arikati and Punjabi Patty locality i.e. 33.06 percent and 29.84
percent. In Fatasil Ambari Harijan Colony highest number of populations has been
found i.e. 37.83 percent of which 37.23 percent are male and 37.46 percent are female.
31.45 percent people are found in Punjabi Patty and 30.72 percent in Arikati Basti. Male
and female ratios in all the three localities are almost same.
Arikati Basti Harijan Colony:
Arikati Basti Harijan Colony is situated in the Uzanbazar area (Ward No. 34) of
Guwahati City under Latasil Police Station. It is a notified slum area consisting of 85
households with 900 total populations. The people living in this area are of different
communities such as Assamese, Bengali, Bihari, Punjabi and Telugu. Though Arikati
Basti is situated in the centre of the city, communication facility is good. There is a big
wholesale fish market situated near the area. The entire area is surrounded by vegetable
markets, shops and restaurants. There is a Government Lower Primary school within the
area and many private schools and colleges are located in nearby areas.
There is no government housing complex in Arikati Basti. Most of the houses
are Assam Type pucca houses, whereas some kutcha houses are also found in the area.
People constructed the houses in a very congested manner and most of them have 2-3
rented house.
In Arikati Basti, the sources of water includes public water supply tap, well etc.
some people also collect water from broken water supply pipelines. Electricity is
available in all the households, though many of them are unauthorised.
The sanitation facility is not hygienic in the area. Only some household have
their individual toilet facility. Most of them use common toilets between 4 to 6
households, but no proper septic tank system is available. Sewerage and solid waste
system of the area is very poor.
 Fatasil Ambari Harijan Colony:
Fatasil Ambari Harijan Colony is situated in Ambari Fatasil area (Ward No. 14)
of Guwahati City under Bharalumukh Police Station. It is a notified slum area
consisting of 40 households with 205 total populations. The people living in this area
are of Bihari and Punjabi community. Though this area is situated in the centre of the
city, communication facility is good. The entire area is surrounded by vegetable
markets, shops and educational institutions. There is a Government Lower Primary
school within the area and many private school and colleges are situated nearby areas.
There is a housing complex constructed by the government and some people
living in Assam Type pucca houses also. Some kutcha houses are also found in the
area. Houses are built in a congested way.
Regarding sources of water in Fatasil Colony, almost 80 percent people collect
water from public water supply tap and broken water supply pipelines. Electricity is
available in all the households.
The sanitation facility is very unhygienic in the area. Most of them use common
toilets. Only some household have their own toilet facility. No proper septic tank
system is available. Due to poor sewerage and solid waste system, drains are over-
flowing. The entire area is very unhygienic.
Punjabi Patty Harijan Colony:
Punjabi Patty Harijan Colony is situated in Ulubari, Near Nehru Stadium (Ward
No. 36) of Guwahati City under Paltan Bazar Police Station. It is a notified slum area
consisting of 150 households with approximately 1200 total populations. The people
living in this area are of Bengali, Bihari, Punjabi and Telugu community. Though this
area is situated in the centre of the city, communication facility is well connected to the
other parts of the city. The area is situated near the railway line and surrounded by
Government offices, shops, hotels and educational institutions. There is a Government
Lower Primary school within the area and many private school and colleges are
situated in nearby areas.
There is a Government Housing Complex and some Assam Type pucca houses
also. Some kutcha houses are also found in the area. Except the housing complex, other
houses are built in a congested way.
Regarding sources of water in the area, almost 70 percent people collect water
from public water supply tap and broken water supply pipelines. Only some households
have their own water supply. Electricity is available in all the households.
The sanitation facility is not hygienic in the area. Most of them use common
toilets. Only some household have their own toilet facility. No proper septic tank
system is available. Usually, people dispose their garbages in the drains and other open
areas near the house. Therefore, drains become over-flowing which made the entire
area very unhygienic.
Distribution of families according to family type
Majority of the families found in the present study are nuclear family i.e. 75.81
percent followed by joint families (24.19%). It has also been found that most of the
families intend to live in nuclear families.

Distribution of families according to family size

 Occupational pattern of the people

The above table shows among the total population 61.30 percent are employed
and 38.70 percent are unemployed. Regarding nature of employment of the employed
population majority are engaged as wage workers i.e. 15.50 percent of which 19.62
percent are male and 10.84 percent are female. It is followed by engagement in
household activities i.e. 14.20 percent which is found among the female members only.
10.58 percent people are engaged in sweeping/ cleaning, of which 13.90 percent male
and 6.81 percent female. In part time domestic work 9.13 percent people are engaged
who all are female, 4.93 percent engaged as shopkeepers/ vendors, 2.90 percent engaged
in private jobs; 2.18 percent as driver; 1.30 percent as plumber and 0.58 percent are
engaged as barber.
Slum free Guwahati
Government of India
Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
The President of India, address to both houses of Parliament in June 2009,
announced the Governments vision for inclusive urban growth and to create a
slum free India in five years through the Rajiv Awas Yojana.

To address the problems of slums arising due to demographic and development-

related factor in cities/towns, including those like Guwahati, the Government
launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)
on 3.12.2005 to assist cities and towns in taking up housing and infrastructural
facilities for the urban poor/slum dwellers in 65 select Mission cities, including
Guwahati under the Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) Programme.
 THANK YOU