Spatial dynamics of gentrification in urban periphery

Abstract

Gentrification is the process of transforming predominately working - class neighborhoods‘ or vacant areas in the city into ones that are dominated by higher - educated, high - class residents. The notion of gentrification puts emphasis on both the dynamics of the social divisions of space, and on the complexity of the patterns involved, which relate both to social and to urban change. The process refers to an upward filtering in working-class neighbourhoods which brings about changes in the habitat, public spaces and retail trade landscape in the area. Indian cities are at a stage of development which the Europeans were in 1960-70‘s. The spatial spread along the peripheries of mega- cities is evolving as a process of social conquest of low income group neighbourhoods by the upper classes in the form of rejuvenation and relocation of existing neighbourhoods. The study finds its relevance in Indian context as earlier researches did not implement a mapping process enabling a visualization of the spatial dynamics of the urban periphery. The aim of the research is to study the spatio-temporal transformations in urban periphery of Bhopal as a consequence of Gentrification. The research question considered in the study is if these transformations in the social and physical landscape of the area can be attributed to gentrification seen in the periphery. For the purpose of study, it includes identification of parameters of the social phenomenon of gentrification, with special emphasis on its physical manifestations on urban form; urban growth transformation in the spatial form and development pattern in the periphery; assessing the social transformations in the lives of the residents and validating these as an outcome of gentrification. The study includes a broad assessment of the periphery of Planning area and detailed analysis of one residential area where the evidences are most prominent. The study has been limited to the assessment of the physical manifestations that are directly and indirectly related to the process of gentrification. Through inputs from spatio-temporal analysis in three time frames of analysis; upto 2003, 2003-08 and 2008-13, the study area is analyzed thorough the socio-economic and physical evidences of gentrification by means of techniques like standard deviation, mapping and overlays. The study is an attempt to create synthetic map of gentrification in the peripheral areas of Bhopal since 2003 and recommends planning suggestions and appropriate policy framework for peripheral residential areas.