Illegal housing in India

More often than not, relationships with municipal offices, police and local representatives are organised by a third party with interests in ensuring that the illegal housing is not demolished.

[3] Nandan Nilekani, author of Imagining India: The idea of a Renewed Nation commented: A series of well-meaning but horribly counterproductive laws passed during this decade [1970s], which gave an immense leg up to interest groups in the city.

The rent act, by stating minimal leasing periods and strict eviction limits, basically gave renters carte blanche to squat and quickly took unoccupied housing off the market, and the land ceiling act shifted large amounts of land into the illegal market.

[4] The multiple initiative Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission was launched in 2005, but ineffective due to poor execution.

[4] For instance, many people have moved to the greater Mumbai area in search of jobs, and without affordable housing, thousands sleep in slums or on the streets.

[3] To meet the demands of people moving to New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities for jobs, and due to the unavailability of affordable housing, there are many buildings constructed illegally.

"[9] In the wake of the 2013 Thane building collapse that killed 72 people, CNN reported that police had "registered a case of culpable homicide against the builder of the structure".

[15] Huts or shanties built on illegal land are sometimes assembled with brick and concrete, but often made with cardboard, tin and plastic.

In a 1991 project called "Operation Eviction" from A. R. Antulay's government, thousands of people from Maharashtra slums were transported great distances away from their homes.

In the previous decade Arjun Singh, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, handed out land rights, called pattas, to illegal communities.