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Summer school

2015

Mapping Livelihoods at the Periphery

Study Area:

ODHAV

Faculty: Prof. Ravi Sannabhadti

Prof. Anurima Mukherji Basu

Submitted By: Zinkal Mistry

Aditi Mewada

Kinjal Prajapati

Diana Yohannan

Mayank Sakla

Setu Sherawala

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Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 2

Location ...................................................................................................................... 3

Methodology ............................................................................................................... 3

About the area ............................................................................................................ 4

Economic activities at Odhav ..................................................................................... 4

Issues of economic activities ...................................................................................... 5

List of economic activities observed in Odhav: ........................................................... 5

Gamtal .................................................................................................................... 6

Agriculture ........................................................................................................... 6

Road stretch ............................................................................................................ 7

Vendors ............................................................................................................... 7

Labours ................................................................................................................ 8

Transportation...................................................................................................... 8

Animal husbandry ................................................................................................ 9

Workshops ........................................................................................................... 9

Marble workshop: ................................................................................................ 9

Drum workshop: ................................................................................................... 9

Issues and Observations .......................................................................................... 10

Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 11

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Introduction Peri-urban areas (also called rurban space,

outskirts or the hinterland) are defined by

the structure resulting from the process of

peri-urbanisation. It can be described as

the landscape interface between town and

country, or also as the rural—urban

Transition zone where urban and rural uses

mix and often clash. It can thus be viewed

as a landscape type in its own right, one

forged from an interaction of urban and

rural land use.

The main aim of this course is to know how

the livelihood at the peri-urban areas works

around the peripheries in and around the

Ahmedabad city. Also this course includes

the study of different peripheral area. All this different areas are documented through

interviews, maps, videos, sketches, pictures and field observations.

The above sketch shows that number of people in green, is coming for work to the

peri-urban areas from villages is less than the number of people coming from cities

to peri-urban that is shown in pink colour. While people first for employment comes

to the peri-urban areas and then they goes city areas, this how the migration

happens.

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Location During this course we have taken three peri urban areas that are Changodar,

Jetalpur and Odhav. Here we will discuss about the Odhav area. It is located on the

east side of the Ahmedabad city. It is divided into two through the Sardar Patel ring

road, so one is gamtal area and other is being developed as the peri urban areas. In

the left bottom picture shows location of Odhav in Ahmedabad, while in the right

picture is showing the Sardar Patel ring road and in that the red polygon shows the

study area along the stretch of 3.2 km.

Methodology

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About the area Odhav our study area starts from

Kathwada circle that is junction from

Odhav road and Sardar Patel ring road to

brick kiln because after that there is no

development. The stretch is of 3.2 km.

While going from Kathwada circle to the

end the height of the buildings decreases

gradually. Development in this area of

residential is from last 35 to 40 years that

is followed by other housing and named

as the Kanak village. And the other village

on the opposite side of the road

developed after Kanak; was the Singrava

village which is since 20 to 25 years old.

After that the workshops of the wooden

logs and industries were set up which are

also since 25 to 30 years old. Major

development since last 10 years that is

from the Kathwada circle is mostly

coming up of commercial complexes and also the institute like banks, hospitals,

restaurants, etc.

Economic activities at Odhav In our study area there were many

variations in economic activities. There

were rickshaw-walas and jeeps were

observed at Kathwada circle that is

travelling from the Odhav to further

villages on the Ahmedabad-Zalod

highway and the inner areas of the

Odhav, which comes before the S.P.

ring road. Majorly there are banks,

shops and timber workshops in Odhav.

Timber workshops get there wood logs

from farmers and then after cutting it

into pieces, the waste generated from it

they sell that wood to people living

around the Odhav area which is used

as a fuel and also it is send to Naroda

for furniture making. Shops related to

building material, electronics, food and

tea-stalls. We can see that starting from the Kathwada circle to the brick kiln that is

where the development ends. Going from left to right majorly there is commercial

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and after some distance there are majorly wood workshops and also there is

increase in the commercial shops. Mostly vendors and the dhaba/restaurants are

nearby the industrial area.

Issues of economic activities

List of economic activities observed in Odhav: In the gamtal Singrava:

o Farming

o Local shops

o Dairy

o Flour factory

o Labour

o Institutes

o Transportation

Along road stretch:

o Local shops

o Vendors/Hawkers

o Seasonal vendors

o Workshops

o Labour

o Animal husbandry

o Garage

o Brick kiln

o Kabadi wala

o Transportation

o Eatery

o Industries

As per the development plan, the

development in the north part and the

south part along the road stretch is very

different from each other. In the

northern part, R1 zone and industries

are allowed. While in the southern part

there is gamtal and its extension and

there is a very small province for

industries. So there is more scope of

development in the north than in the

south.

When we visited the site, we observed

above economic activities. Majorly there

are industries and timber workshops.

Vendors were on the road side.

Interviewed 56 persons engaged in

different economic activities.

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Gamtal The southern part of the road stretch has a gamtal named as Singrava. This gamtal

is 200 to 250 years old. As per history of this village, it was named after a person

whose name was Singrava, as he was first who came there. Now the village has

population of 5356. There are many castes in the village like Patel, prajapati, thakor

and some of S.C., S.T. and of other backward class. The infrastructure

implementation is in process that has sewerage lines, water pipelines, etc. Just one

year before T.P. scheme has been introduced. So there is 70% decrease in the

framing occupation. Now they are working as labour in the industries and factories

nearby.

Agriculture

The majority crops are wheat and

rice; while they cultivate vegetables in

between the season change, which is

then send to the Jetalpur through the

trucks which is 20km away.

Due to the environmental changes,

firstly that of hail storm and

unseasonal rains which destroys the

crops. This scenario is being

continued from last 4-5 years and

also there is increasing in the price of

every basis needs.

Due to chemical industries, there is

decrease in fertility of soil. The

reasons for decrease in land holding

are increase in the number of

industries, selling of their land for

housing schemes and coming up of

T.P. scheme in the previous year.

They were facing such problems, yet

they tried their fullest to cultivate

crops with the use of high yielding

seeds, expensive pesticides and

fertilisers. After spend lot of their

credits, yet they did not get any result.

So they felt helpless at that time, no

money to fulfil their needs.

So for them selling their land and

joining the work force labour, would

be socially and economically the last option.

Case study:

Name of interviewer: Rajendra bhai

Age: 37

Date: 18/05/2015

He is farmer by occupation. Having

land area of 700000 sq. m. But few

years back due to the set up of

chemical industry the environmental

condition has changed. It affected

lot of crop production, so at that

time they reduce the farming. Then

also they use to grown rice, wheat,

bajra, etc. In Between the seasonal

change they use to grow varieties of

vegetables.

But one year before town planning

scheme has been introduced there,

as per the rule 40% percentage land

area is been taken by co-operation.

Remaining land area was very less;

he has sold his land to the private

builders in high rise price of the land

due TP scheme. Now he is working

in nearby mill, while his father is

also working with him. Now they are

working on the monthly basis.

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While other economic activities that is local shops, flour factory, labour, institutes, etc

doesn’t much affect by the peri-urban areas. The dairy performs it work that is

transportation of the milk that is also not much affect as the people are still practising

the animal husbandry still the same. For the transportation earlier they were using

from amts, so it does affect much by the development of the peri-urban areas.

Road stretch Vendors

Mostly vendors were seen selling clothes, vegetables and fruits. The vendors which

we interviewed are migrants and mostly from U.P., Saurashtra, Rajasthan, Nepal

and Patan. They have their specific place for doing their business. They start their

business after 4 in the evening and end up by 8 at night. They mostly stay in

Singrava village. Mostly all of them buy their selling product from city, Kalupur, Delhi

Darwaja. While their customers are

from nearby remote areas.

CASE STUDY:

Name: Mohan bhai

Age: 33

Date: 18/05/2015

He is doing the business of cloth

selling. He buys the cloths from

Delhi Darvaja. He is from Nepal

and now he is living in Singrava.

He is engaged in this business

since last 15 years. No other

person works with him. He works

from 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. his

customers are usually from nearby

places. Earlier he was working in a

medicine factory but then he was

caught by asthma so he left that

work and started selling cloths. He

put the cloth in a small cabin near

his place of work but it is not safe.

Sometimes the cloths get stolen

but he cannot carry the cloths with

him to home as he cannot work

more due to the asthma problem.

His wife and children are living in

Nepal and his wife is doing

farming there. So he lives here

alone.

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There are Seasonal vendors are also seen who sell their things by standing on

footpaths and also resides there. They come for 8months (summer and winter) and

then they again go back to their village. And most of the people residing there are

working in the industries and factories that are at Odhav and Naroda.

Labours

Mostly labours are working in mills; factory

and industries as Odhav is industrial area.

Employment opportunity is more in this

area, because of more industries. So more

migrants are seen. And from the survey we

came to know that the most of the labour

are migrants from Nepal, Rajasthan and

Uttar Pradesh. While other come from

nearby remote areas. They usual work for 9-

10 hours a day.

Transportation

In Odhav, type of vehicle use for travelling is

auto. Mostly all the auto walas are from

Vastral. Their travel route is from Singrava

to St. Gita mandir and they do 4-5 times trip

of this route in a day. They work for 3-4

hours and then they do part-time job. Their generational occupation is farming.

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Animal husbandry

As we have one village Singrava so animal

husbandry is seen in that part. Most of them

are having minimum 3-4 cows. They don’t

have gauchar land so they buy fodder for

cattle. They sell the milk to the dairy. Some of

them are doing this business as a side

business while other are having this as their

main and one occupation only.

Workshops

Timber workshops are majorly seen in the Odhav area. Mostly timber workshops are

from last 25 to 30 years. Very few other workshops which are mention below.

Marble workshop:

The owner of the marble cutting workshop is from Palanpur and now living in Nikol in

Ahmedabad since 5 years. He started this workshop before 5 years and it is on rent

based. The marbles is brought from Rajasthan and sold in Ahmedabad and Kathlal.

Total 5 persons are working in the workshop. The workers are living in Odhav and

usually come to the workshop by public transport. The workers are paid monthly.

Drum workshop:

There is a workshop where plastic drums are cleaned and then supplied in all over

Gujarat and Rajasthan. The owner of the workshop is from Rajasthan and now living

in Shahibagh in Ahmedabad. He started this workshop before 4 years and it is on

rent based. Total 4 persons are working in the workshop. The workers are from

Rajasthan and lives in the workshop. The workers are paid daily.

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Issues and Observations The north part that is above of the highway is been much developed than the

southern part because of the presence of the chemical industry on the south

side.

Hierarchy (Height of building) is seems to decrease while going from west to

east.

Water logging quite affects the timber

workshops as they are situated along the road

side. As shown in this map of contours that is

near the road side there is low line area. They

store their materials on the road side, which is

been used by the villager for fuel. Due to water

logging timber can’t be further used. The

villagers have to buy the wood then high cost.

Inadequate infrastructure

Absences of storm line

Poor road condition.

Improper use of open space.

Not proper management of solid waste as land is occupied by the slums; so

the waste is been burn by peoples living there and due to this there in air

pollution.

Before 2 years this highway was not as wide as it is now, but as per TP

Scheme the road have been wider that is by the land acquisition. And so now

the commercial shops are running in loss due service road is provided as

approach road.

Practising of animal husbandry is been lesser in this area as the availability of

cattle grazing land in decreasing.

Open space which is left between the buildings is used by the people who

don’t have proper house, built their tents and they are working in industries on

daily wages.

As the T.P. scheme is been introduce the land price is been increased, so the

people have

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Conclusion Odhav is an old industrial area, so no major generational occupation change.

Majorly this is an industrial area and now it is much more developed which

have increased number of employment. This causes more number of in-

migration and vendors.

Land selling is increased due to increase in the land price, as T.P. scheme in

introduce in last year.

Width of the highway has increased. Due to the service road is been

approach road to the commercial shops, which have affect the decrease in

selling of shops.

Due to chemical industry from last 9 to 10 years, which have affected the

environment condition and there be decrease in the crop cultivation.