The document summarizes a slum upgrading project in Agra, India. The project aimed to improve living conditions for slum residents through inclusive strategies like building toilets and improving access to services. Over 1,000 toilets were constructed through community participation and partnerships between government agencies, non-profits, and the private sector. As a result, slum residents saw health, income, and quality of life improvements. The project also strengthened local capacity and partnerships for continued pro-poor development efforts.

1. Urban Renewal Best Practices
Reforming Agra by Re-Imagining through Slum
Up-gradation
Harkaran
(BP/733/2017)
4th Year Bachelor of Planning
SPA Delhi
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

2. Introduction
• Agra a global tourist destination. Huge potential for developing strong tourism-centric
economy
• 252 notified & 178 non-notified slum contain ½ of Agra’s population.
New Approach
• Establishment of Citywide
Slum Upgrading Project
(CSUP) by Agra Nagar Nigam
with CURE
• Backed up by Crosscutting
Agra Programme (CAP)
funded by United States
Agency for International
Development (USAID)
Goals of the Project
• To prepare a Reform-linked
Citywide Slum Upgrading
Plan for Agra with local
capacities to design and
implement slum upgrading
on a citywide scale
• Intention to create an
enabling environment for
urban poverty reduction with
sectoral reforms
Roadblocks to
Development
Poor Sanitary
condition
Unplanned
development
High
concentration
of slums
Lack of action
to improve
conditions
• Slum population risen from 0.5
million in 2001 to 0.8 million in
2011.
• Agra scored 37% in Sanitation
survey under JNNURM
• Slum dwellers live in the
shadow of city’s lessen known
monuments
• They do not derive any income
from tourism
• Women and youth are
informally employed, and work
in exploitative conditions
contributing to poverty
No connection to most basic
sanitation
No strong policy on slum
upgradation
Overflowing drains and waste
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

3. Implementation Strategies (1/2)
Inclusive, participatory and integrated
Aimed at engaging all slums in bottom-up approach
Improving access to urban basic services
Mainstreaming services in city system with last-mile connection
Physical, economic and social inclusivity
Custom solutions for slum specific problem – local action
Institutionalized mechanism for voicing concerns
Building local capacity
Appropriate policy & administrative reforms, structural modifications
Peoples
organization
Private
sector
Local
implementing
agency
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

4. Implementation Strategies (2/2)
• Preparation of Slum, Ward and City Plans
through community engagement
• Generation of Geo-spatial and socio-economic
information for better understanding of issues
and plan preparation (Mapped by CURE)
• Slum contour, network, land use, housing, etc.
mapped on GIS to determine last-mile
solutions and help understand land-based
challenges in in-situ development
• DEWAT built in
Kachhpura Slum
• Mughal Heritage
Walk conceived
as a walking loop
around the
settlement to
create unique
tourism
experience
• Slum upgradation through construction of Toilets at home,
school and community
• Technical innovations to minimize damage, made from local
material, incremental built
• An improved Septic Tank to carry overflows where no
underground sewers were present
• Community Credit Fund to enable households to get matching
contribution for their share in toilet cost.
• 1000 toilets sanctioned by District Urban Development Agency
(DUDA)
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

5. Outcome of the Project
Achievements and Results
 118 private toilets built in the slums. An additional
2745 constructed/ approved by DUDA.
 The city is on its way to having the first ‘open-
defecation free’ settlement.
 It has the first functional DEWAT in the city/state.
 Family health is better and health care expenses have
dropped by Rs. 600 per month due to home toilets.
 Income levels of slum families in the project have
improved from nil to about ` 150 per day and are fully
sustainable.
•Administrative
procedures an limited
local capacity major
constraints in
implementation.
Rules regarding
restriction in buffer zone
of monuments
•Powers not yet fully
decentralized from the
State to the City affecting
speed and nature of
decision-making
•Lack of coordination
across key local agencies
responsible for slum
upgrading
Challenges
SlumLevel
• Improved access to basic services
• Settlements now mainstreamed within city
systems and local economy
• greater willingness among residents to
maintain community infrastructure
• Livelihood interventions ensured sustainable
incomes for women and youth
Citylevel
• Helped generate spatial database with analysis
contributing to slum free Agra plan
• Successful forging of multi-stakeholder
partnerships between govt agencies, private
sector and civil society
• Critical capacity built to facilitate pro-poor
urban development
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

6. Sustainability Impact of the Project
• Citywide slum upgrading plan is being prepared drawing lessons
from the upgrading project
• Broad range of partners including those not directly related to
slum development included in decision-making
• All project slums get municipal tap water in 24x7 connected
toilets
• Community Handpumps repaired. City allocated 2.5 million USD
for upgrading community toilets.
• State Tourism owns Tourism walks to enrich community based
tourism experience
• Private Sector supports community-based-sustainable-business
model
• Mughal Heritage walks provides livelihoods from tour animation,
souvenirs, guest facilities, etc.
• Proceeds of tours go into a Community Development Fund which
is used to improve services in the area
• The Communities are organized an
empowered and are becoming more
aware of their rights
• The close partnership with ANN and
more recently, DUDA created
significant capacity within the agencies
to replicate the products under the
project.
• Demonstration on the ground of
upgrading initiatives that have followed
a comprehensive approach that
resonate with the needs of people
• The continuity of the project (2 phases)
with financing arrangements helped
consolidate the early interventions
• Partnerships with the private sector
and embedding the livelihood
initiatives within the local economy of
the city
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

7. Replicability
• Fully replicable in all cities of all scales
• Preconditions :
• Mughal Heritage Walk/Community based tourism
being replicated in 2 sites in Agra – Sikandara &
Barara.
Recognition
CURE’s initiative in Agra was recognized in 2008 as a
Good Practice by UN Habitat – Dubai Municipality Awards
and as a Best Practice by the Department of
Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance,
Government of India. It has also been shortlisted for the
National Urban Water Awards (NUWA), 2011 by the
Ministry of Urban Development.
Willingness of Urban Local Bodies to have knowledge
curve
Provide support to slum development through
policy decision
Choosing appropriate agencies with experience
of implementing slum upgrading activities
Willingness to work closely with and support
citywide slum development
Need for resource for implementation of slum
upgrading activities
National Institute of Urban Affairs (2011), 'PEARL Urban Initiatives under JNNURM', Volume 5, pages 34-39

8. THANK YOU