Planning for affordable housing during densification in Kathmandu Lessons from four settlements Amit Bajracharya, Pragya Pradhan, Poonam Amatya, Bhagawat Bhakta Khokhali, Sabina Shrestha and Arif Hasan Working Paper Urban Keywords: June 2015 housing, Kathmandu, urban density, urban development, urban planning About the authors Partner organisation Amit Bajracharya is a practicing architect- urban designer/ LUMANTI- Support Group for Shelter was registered in 1993 planner, working as a technical manager at Maitreya Awas Pvt. as a non-government organization dedicated to alleviate urban Ltd. He worked as an architect for Lumanti Support Group poverty in Nepal through integrated approach of improving for Shelter and is still involved in Lumanti as a volunteer. He shelter conditions. Lumanti with its approach of providing completed his Masters in Ecological and Sustainable Design housing for urban poor is now working for onsite upgrading from Kansas State University at Kansas, USA. He is a founding of settlements with the provision of secure tenure, support in member of Pro-poor Technical Assistance Group (PTAG) which the construction of housing and improved access to sanitation works in coordination with Lumanti. and water supply and credit facilities. Lumanti promotes all these activities through community led finance mechanisms by Email: [email protected], [email protected] strengthening of saving and credit programs and cooperatives. Pragya Pradhan is working as urban planner consultant at the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of Nepal for the preparation of National Urban Development Strategy and Plan. Acknowledgements She holds Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning Lumanti Support Group for Shelter, the International Institute from University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA. for Environment and Development (IIED) and the authors Email: [email protected] acknowledge the contribution of all the individuals and organisation who contributed to the consultative workshops and Poonam Amatya is working as an architect- urban planner at interviews. Creative Space Pvt. Ltd. She holds Master’s degree in Urban Management from Technical University of Berlin, Germany. The authors would also like to acknowledge the help of the projects advisors (Gordon McGranahan, Prafulla Man Singh Email: [email protected] Pradhan and Lajana Manandhar) and the editors (Donald Bhagawat Bhakta Khokhali is working as Urban Planner Brown, Christine Ro, Paula Morais, Pragya Pradhan and in Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA). He Benjamin Conner). holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Institute of Picture credits: Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. Figures 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16 are Email: [email protected] photos taken by Amit Bajracharya. Figures 1, 5, 6, 9 and 13 are Google earth images Sabina Shrestha studied architecture at Kathmandu labelled by the authors. Engineering College, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu and All Maps have been drawn by the authors. qualified in 2010. She has been involved in Lumanti and Pro- poor Technical Assistant Group as a volunteer for last three years. She currently works as an architect for Habitat for Published by IIED, June 2015 Humanity Nepal. Amit Bajracharya, Pragya Pradhan, Poonam Amatya, Email: [email protected] Bhagawat Bhakta Khokhali, Sabina Shrestha and Arif Hasan. Arif Hasan is an architect/planner in private practice in Karachi, 2015. Planning for affordable housing during densification dealing with urban planning and development issues in general in Kathmandu: Lessons from four settlements. IIED Working and in Asia and Pakistan in particular. He has been involved Paper. IIED, London. with the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) since 1981. He is also a http://pubs.iied.org/10739IIED founding member of the Urban Resource Centre (URC) in Karachi and has been its chair since its inception in 1989. ISBN 978-1-78431-208-4 E-mail: [email protected] Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks. Produced by IIED’s Human Settlements Group The Human Settlements Group works to reduce poverty and improve health and housing conditions in the urban centres of Africa, Asia and Latin America. It seeks to combine this with promoting good governance and more ecologically sustainable patterns of urban development and rural-urban linkages. International Institute for Environment and Development 80-86 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8NH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3463 7399 Fax: +44 (0)20 3514 9055 email: [email protected] www.iied.org @iied www.facebook.com/theIIED Download more publications at www.iied.org/pubs IIED WORKING PAPER Preface This working paper was in press when a devastating earthquake struck Kathmandu on the 26th of April 2015, and then a second struck on the 12th of May. The current priority is recovery. The authors of this paper are now busy conducting post-earthquake building assessments and providing low cost house design and construction supervision for people building transit homes. Going forward, much more will need to be done to provide better housing for the residents of Kathmandu, and to reduce the risks they face from future earthquakes and other environmental hazards. This is also a daunting task that will need to be faced with courage. The paper takes a broad look at the challenges posed by Kathmandu’s rapid population growth and densification. It extends its focus to the poorest and most vulnerable residents, and seeks out ways of addressing the shortfall in affordable housing while reducing risk and building resilience. Hopefully this will contribute to a safer and more liveable Kathmandu in the future. www.iied.org 3 PLANNING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DURING DENSIFICATION IN KATHMANDU Kathmandu faces serious urban planning and housing challenges. Most development is occurring beyond the legal limits of zoning bylaws and building regulations in response to housing shortages. As settlements densify haphazardly, affordable housing options are increasing, but living conditions, services and crowding are worsening. The potential consequences for low-income residents are disastrous given the danger of an imminent earthquake. This paper examines four types of settlements in Kathmandu to understand the impacts of densification. It then presents conceptual reimaginings of these settlements to apply the lessons for planning affordable housing in densifying settlements without compromising unduly on safety and liveability. 4 Case studies 14 Contents 4.1 Naradevi: Traditional settlement 14 4.2 Sankhamul and Bansighat: Informal settlements 22 Executive summary 5 4.3 Khusibu: Land-pooling project 29 4.4 Chabahil 37 1 Introduction 7 5 Conclusions 45 2 Transformation of Kathmandu 8 5.1 General conclusions and recommendations 45 2.1 History of planning practices in Kathmandu 9 5.2 Conclusions and recommendations for the four 2.2 Current trends in residential development 9 case studies 48 2.3 Rental housing in Kathmandu 10 2.4 Kathmandu: An urban density study 11 References 50 3 Methodology 12 Appendix 1 51 3.1 Site selection 12 Appendix 2: Questionnaire 67 3.2 Preparation of questionnaire 12 3.3 Sampling method 12 Appendix 3: List of Survey Team Members 71 3.4 Field observations 13 Appendix 4 72 3.5 Data handling 13 3.6 Data analysis 13 Related reading 74 3.7 Hypothetical replanning exercise 13 Acronyms 75 4 www.iied.org IIED WORKING PAPER Executive summary Kathmandu is experiencing rapid urban growth, with Naradevi is an inner-city traditional settlement that its population nearly doubling in the past decade. is densifying outside of official rules and regulations This trend has been accompanied by densification through the addition of storeys to existing structures; the in inner-city traditional settlements and in newer construction of new, taller buildings; and the subdivision peripheral settlements facing urban growth and of jointly owned properties. Densities are currently as expansion pressures. high as 2,112 people per hectare. The original owners who can afford automobiles have begun to migrate to However, most urban growth and densification are suburban areas where vehicular accessibility is better. being accommodated haphazardly in the absence This has made the area more affordable to lower-income of appropriate and enforceable zoning bylaws and households and renters; however, living conditions and building regulations. In practice, land owners and private crowding have worsened, particularly in rental spaces. developers often build beyond legal limits in response These conditions have also intensified the settlement’s to housing shortages, particularly among low-income existing vulnerability to earthquake and fire risks. renters. Consequently, informal rental markets have grown, whilst living conditions, service provision and The hypothetical replanning exercise for Naradevi crowding have worsened. explored four approaches. The least exclusionary approach would involve protecting the area’s Haphazard densification has potentially disastrous historically and culturally significant courtyard systems. consequences for Kathmandu given the danger of It would also examine options for promoting fire an imminent earthquake. This applies especially to safety, earthquake-resistant measures and heritage low-income households living in inadequate housing. conservation, without imposing prohibitive costs for land A number of actions can be taken to avoid these owners or driving up rents for low-income groups. consequences by planning and managing urban growth