Slums of Chennai around the Buckingham Canal - with special reference to Govindaswamy Nagar

Abstract

Buckingham Canal bank was an important water - way of old Madras. It has been facing slow death due to many reasons such as encroachments by various constructions like MRTS (The Mass Rapid Transit System is popularly called MRTS), and also the Urban poor, the slum dwellers. The slum dwellers face various problems like, flooding, insanitary conditions, health and socio-economic issues. One of the major issue is the eviction process. In this link, the Elango Street of Govindaswamy Nagar has been allotted by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board based on G.O.Ms.No 163 Housing (F) Department, Dated 28.02.1973. Elango Street escapes all the natural problems the other slums are facing, but it is expected to be evicted. This critical issue made the researcher to compare Elango Street of Govindaswamy Nagar with the other slums on the banks of Central Buckingham Canal.