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New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
A Lingua Franca is Shaped by the People, Not by Government Dictates
Demolitions are in overdrive once again. At the height of the furnace-like heat wave, the 'Madrasi Colony'—a cluster of jhuggi jhoprhi, a mini-slum near Baramulla in the Capital—was razed to rubble. Unauthorised constructions—extensions in Batala House in the vicinity of Jamia Millia House—fared no better. Operation Clean-up wasn't confined to Delhi. Food lovers were stunned to learn that Chachi's legendary kachori-jalebi outlet just outside the BHU's Lanka Gate and Pahalwan's equally famous and not-very-much-younger lassi stall, a short distance away, had met the same fate. There was no news about the iconic Keshav Tambul Bhandar that attracted Banarasi paan addicts like a strong magnet. All these, unauthorised constructions on public land had evolved over many decades as tourist traps much before the advent of social media, thanks to the words of mouth echoing across generations. Evicting squatters has been an almost continuous process in BJP-ruled states—Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand—for quite some time. Large swathes of land have been reclaimed and the ugly blemishes on the face of beautiful cities—holy and historic—removed. Not very long ago, on the eve of the G20 Summit hosted by India, Chandni Chowk had experienced a facelift. Squatters were removed and the lost glory restored to this jewel in Shahjahanabad's crown. Motor vehicles were banned, hawkers who spilt over the main road were removed and pedestrians were prioritised. Electronic rickshaws made historic buildings and eateries accessible. Havelis (old mansions) were expensively restored; but the ambitious revival lost breath in a blink. Squatters are back. The garbage-free stretch of the main street is constantly shrinking and the policemen posted seem to look the other way all the time. The traffic choke points in the vicinity of Jama Masjid continue to be a nightmare and though the Metro has re-connected 'Purani Dilli' with ageing New Delhi, the whizzing two-wheelers, and cycle rickshaws pulled by beasts of burden, add to the atmospheric cacophony.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Smart cities, broken communities: From New Delhi to Varanasi, what we lose when urban planning is not inclusive
Written by Shruti Dubey On the night of June 17, around 30 shops in Varanasi's Lanka crossing were demolished by the authorities to decongest the area and make way for a road expansion project. The demolitions included two iconic shops selling popular street food — the 100-year-old Chachi's stall of kachauri and jalebi and the 75-year-old Pehelwaan lassi shop. Both establishments, frequented by actors, politicians, and administrators, have been integral to the identity of the locality. Varanasi has witnessed similar demolitions earlier, too. In 2019, for instance, around 300 houses and shops in the dense and congested Pucca Mahal area were cleared to expand the ancient Kashi Vishwanath Temple into a corridor complex. The Pucca Mahal area, the heart of Varanasi, is characterised by narrow lanes, old houses, and bazaars. It holds tremendous heritage value, having witnessed various phases of Indian history — from the rule of the Mughals to the post-Independence era. Some residents who lost their homes during the demolition were treasure houses of stories; their prized possessions included historical artefacts such as photographs with Dr Rajendra Prasad and a patta (property deed) by Dara Shikoh proving their rights to look after the temple. The loss of iconic stalls rooted in popular memory and of historical neighbourhoods representing the traditional Banarasi way of life has rightly drawn media and scholarly attention. The current vision of development — four- and six-lane flyovers, malls, multi-storied apartment complexes, stadiums, multi-modal transport systems, grand temple corridors, and signature buildings monitored by integrated command and control centres — stands in stark contrast to the city's traditional lifestyle. It forces us to ponder whether people will still be drawn to an ancient city like Varanasi as its very character changes. However, the issue I wish to highlight goes deeper than nostalgia for an ancient, spiritual, and authentic Varanasi. It concerns how to make urban transformation in Indian cities — including Varanasi — truly inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready. There is a prevailing notion that development requires replacing dense, congested, encroached, and chaotic areas — typical of most old Indian cities — with wide roads and grid-patterned housing and markets. The vision of smart cities with world-class infrastructure and Information Technology integration is only the latest manifestation of this idea. As a result, demolitions of slums, squatter settlements, and other densely populated areas have become a common feature in cities across India, paving the way for projects ranging from road expansions and riverfront developments to stadium construction and temple corridor extensions. Indian cities are not new to such urban utopias. The post-Independence period saw advocacy for planned cities such as New Delhi and Chandigarh. New townships like Faridabad, Noida, and Navi Mumbai promised to solve the urban challenges of congestion, encroachments, and overburdened infrastructure. However, seven decades of planning have shown that these promises remain largely unfulfilled. Indian cities continue to be fragmented and unequal, with over 70 per cent of the population living and working in unplanned and informal conditions, and only 30 per cent in planned, formal areas. How do we make sense of this situation? There is a pressing need to rethink what we consider suitable, inclusive, sustainable, and smart for Indian cities. Density, chaos, and congestion do not automatically become undesirable when they are an intrinsic part of urban morphologies and provide residence and livelihoods to a significant portion of the population. The labelling of dense old city areas as slums — as diseased, illegal, and congested — was a result of planning ideas borrowed from Europe by colonial masters. These ideas persisted into the post-colonial period, despite their unsuitability to Indian contexts. The preference for modernist development — with wide roads, spatial segregation, zoning, and grid patterns — was rooted in colonial planning principles designed to ensure security, hygiene, and distance from the native population. The conditions of Indian cities are, however, quite different from quintessential Western cities. India never experienced the kind of industrial revolution that shaped Western urban development. Thus, urban theorists argue that the strict separation between the rural and the urban doesn't hold true for India. Moreover, it is the informal economy and the unorganised sector that are the drivers of urbanisation in Indian cities. Cities are places of work for construction workers, hawkers, vendors, auto rickshaw drivers, small traders, shopkeepers, and domestic helpers, who provide affordable goods and services not just to the poor but also the middle class. The dense, congested neighbourhoods and bazaars give shelter and working space to these groups who have not been included in urban planning. More often than not, it is these informal settlements and shops that are demolished to make way for developed cities. In order to be truly future-ready, it is important to plan for not just the middle and upper classes but also for the lower-income groups who may be residing or waiting to enter our cities. Cities should not just be made affordable for the poor, but also give them opportunities to grow. The urban transformation taking place right now, which focuses on constructing state-of-the-art infrastructure in select areas, seems to be chasing a utopia misaligned with Indian realities. The need of the hour is to make cities amenable for public transport and accommodate the needs of various lower-income groups, integrating them into the planning process because they provide essential services to the urban economy. Inclusive development of Indian cities may appear chaotic and unlike the Western imagination of smart cities. Instead of demolitions and decongestions, conservation and upgradation of dense bazaars and neighbourhoods by providing basic infrastructure may be the way out. Dense old cities in India often performs several functions: They have heritage value; they provide livelihood to thousands of people, and they give shelter to lower-income groups. Every time the authorities undertake demolitions, a large number of people have to rebuild their lives in already hostile cities from scratch. Indian urban development can be called smart and future-ready if the chaotic, vibrant density of its cities can be complemented with necessary infrastructure to modernise it while preserving their heritage and economic opportunities, not just for the privileged but for all sections of society. The author is assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, Banaras Hindu University. Views are personal
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Lanka loses legends: Iconic Varanasi joints Pahalwan Lassi, Chachi Ki Kachori, Mahendra's Paan razed; locals mourn, shops relocate
VARANASI: The famous joints of three Banarasi delicacies -- lassi, kachori and paan -- have lost their iconic address forever. Pahalwan Lassi, Chachi Ki Kachori and Mahendra's Banarasi Paan Shop on Lanka trisection -- the go to places for tourists and natives alike for decades, were removed during a road-widening drive late Tuesday evening. A team of PWD razed 35 shops in the area for the conversion of Vijaya crossing-Lanka-Bhikharipur-Lahartara Road into a four-lane road. The PWD officials told TOI that maximum work on this Rs 215-crore project was complete and work only in a few patches in Lanka was pending. According to PWD officials, the shops were situated on land owned by the Ramlila Samiti headed by Sankat Mochan Temple's Mahant Prof Vishwamabhar Nath Mishra. The Samiti had been paid the compensation for the land and all the shops had been served notices a month ago to vacate the place. Hence, no protest was staged, as the agency completed its work by Wednesday early morning. The only exception was an outburst of emotions by Prabhu, the owner of Pahalwan Lassi, reaching his shop, hands folded, but he was also taken away from the spot by his brothers. The images of debris and dusty Lanka Trisection neighbourhood that went viral on Wednesday morning, however, made people across the globe nostalgic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Many social media users started sharing the old pictures of these shops. Former general secretary of Banaras Hindu University Students Union, Bhupendra Pratap Singh Rintu, shared memories of the 115-year-old Chachi ki Kachori shop, saying, "Student union leaders of the past, like Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and former MP Bharat Singh, used to pester the woman vendor, addressing her as 'Chachi' and how she used to lace her serving of kachori-jalebi with the choicest expletives. We took her abusive language as a blessing because actually she loved us and after her death, her sons and grandsons have been running the shop." Former BHU student, Ajay Singh, spoke about celebrities and politicians who visited Pahalwan's shop for lassi topped with rabri. The shop's owner, Brijesh Yadav, said nobody forced them to quit and the shop was likely to be reopened near Mahendru hostel building on Lanka-Sankat Mochan temple road. Chachi's son Kailash has already set up shop in Kabir Nagar and plans a kiosk opposite his old shop. Mahendra's famous paan shop is being run by his grandson Ravi Mishra from his house in Prafull Nagar. Mishra said, "District administration sought cooperation for road expansion to ease increasing traffic load and we only wanted to ensure the Ramlila tradition was not affected." Meanwhile, portions of Rohania police station and other buildings were razed by PWD on Wednesday to facilitate completion of Mohansarai-Cantt 6-lane road project.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Varanasi bid goodbye to iconic Lanka eateries: 115-year-old Chachi Ki Kachori and Pahalwan Lassi shops demolished
VARANASI: The famous joints of three Banarasi delicacies -- lassi, kachori and paan -- have lost their iconic address forever. Pahalwan Lassi, Chachi Ki Kachori and Mahendra's Banarasi Paan Shop on Lanka trisection -- the go to places for tourists and natives alike for decades, were removed during a road-widening drive late Tuesday evening. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A team of PWD razed 35 shops in the area for the conversion of Vijaya crossing-Lanka-Bhikharipur-Lahartara Road into a four-lane road. The PWD officials told TOI that maximum work on this Rs 215-crore project was complete and work only in a few patches in Lanka was pending. According to PWD officials, the shops were situated on land owned by the Ramlila Samiti headed by Sankat Mochan Temple's Mahant Prof Vishwamabhar Nath Mishra. The Samiti had been paid the compensation for the land and all the shops had been served notices a month ago to vacate the place. Hence, no protest was staged, as the agency completed its work by Wednesday early morning. The only exception was an outburst of emotions by Prabhu, the owner of Pahalwan Lassi, reaching his shop, hands folded, but he was also taken away from the spot by his brothers. The images of debris and dusty Lanka Trisection neighbourhood that went viral on Wednesday morning, however, made people across the globe nostalgic. Many social media users started sharing the old pictures of these shops. Former general secretary of Banaras Hindu University Students Union, Bhupendra Pratap Singh Rintu, shared memories of the 115-year-old Chachi ki Kachori shop, saying, "Student union leaders of the past, like Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and former MP Bharat Singh, used to pester the woman vendor, addressing her as 'Chachi' and how she used to lace her serving of kachori-jalebi with the choicest expletives. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We took her abusive language as a blessing because actually she loved us and after her death, her sons and grandsons have been running the shop." Former BHU student, Ajay Singh, spoke about celebrities and politicians who visited Pahalwan's shop for lassi topped with rabri. The shop's owner, Brijesh Yadav, said nobody forced them to quit and the shop was likely to be reopened near Mahendru hostel building on Lanka-Sankat Mochan temple road. Chachi's son Kailash has already set up shop in Kabir Nagar and plans a kiosk opposite his old shop. Mahendra's famous paan shop is being run by his grandson Ravi Mishra from his house in Prafull Nagar. Mishra said, "District administration sought cooperation for road expansion to ease increasing traffic load and we only wanted to ensure the Ramlila tradition was not affected." Meanwhile, portions of Rohania police station and other buildings were razed by PWD on Wednesday to facilitate completion of Mohansarai-Cantt 6-lane road project.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Chachi Ki Kachori, Pahalwan Lassi lose iconic Lanka address
1 2 Varanasi: The famous joints of three Banarasi delicacies -- lassi, kachori and paan -- have lost their iconic address forever. Pahalwan Lassi, Chachi Ki Kachori and Mahendra's Banarasi Paan Shop on Lanka trisection -- the go to places for tourists and natives alike for decades, were removed during a road-widening drive late Tuesday evening. A team of PWD razed 35 shops in the area for the conversion of Vijaya crossing-Lanka-Bhikharipur-Lahartara Road into a four-lane road. The PWD officials told TOI that maximum work on this Rs 215-crore project was complete and work only in a few patches in Lanka was pending. According to PWD officials, the shops were situated on land owned by the Ramlila Samiti headed by Sankat Mochan Temple's Mahant Prof Vishwamabhar Nath Mishra. The Samiti had been paid the compensation for the land and all the shops had been served notices a month ago to vacate the place. Hence, no protest was staged, as the agency completed its work by Wednesday early morning. The only exception was an outburst of emotions by Prabhu, the owner of Pahalwan Lassi, reaching his shop, hands folded, but he was also taken away from the spot by his brothers. The images of debris and dusty Lanka Trisection neighbourhood that went viral on Wednesday morning, however, made people across the globe nostalgic. Many social media users started sharing the old pictures of these shops. Former general secretary of Banaras Hindu University Students Union, Bhupendra Pratap Singh Rintu, shared memories of the 115-year-old Chachi ki Kachori shop, saying, "Student union leaders of the past, like Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and former MP Bharat Singh, used to pester the woman vendor, addressing her as 'Chachi' and how she used to lace her serving of kachori-jalebi with the choicest expletives. We took her abusive language as a blessing because actually she loved us and after her death, her sons and grandsons have been running the shop." Former BHU student, Ajay Singh, spoke about celebrities and politicians who visited Pahalwan's shop for lassi topped with rabri. The shop's owner, Brijesh Yadav, said nobody forced them to quit and the shop was likely to be reopened near Mahendru hostel building on Lanka-Sankat Mochan temple road. Chachi's son Kailash has already set up shop in Kabir Nagar and plans a kiosk opposite his old shop. Mahendra's famous paan shop is being run by his grandson Ravi Mishra from his house in Prafull Nagar. Mishra said, "District administration sought cooperation for road expansion to ease increasing traffic load and we only wanted to ensure the Ramlila tradition was not affected." Meanwhile, portions of Rohania police station and other buildings were razed by PWD on Wednesday to facilitate completion of Mohansarai-Cantt 6-lane road project.
