We were driven back to Pune arriving in
the dark. The next day I visited the Shelter office and met the team working on
various projects. This included seeing how the GIS database was being used and
meeting some of the women from one of the slums who were making bags from cast
of saree material.
I also visited the Bibewadi area where
Shelter have added 300 toilets into existing slum houses. A very narrow one
metre wide alley way at the back of the slums allows sewer lines to be laid and
new toilets installed. The household contributes 2,500Rs (Aus$ 50) and Shelter contributes
10,000Rs (Aus$200). The narrow streets were also being upgraded.
Another project I visited was the
resettlement at Hadapsar where the families had moved from their slum in the
flood zone on the banks of the river. The new buildings were 3 or 4 storeys
high with individual houses around a common courtyard. Some houses were on a number
of half levels and some had high ceilings to allow mezzanines for sleeping.
Even on upper levels a family would tether a goat outside their front door. There
was a strong sense of community in the complex and each owner had great pride
in showing me inside their unit.
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