In a significant announcement for urban development in India, the Gujarat government has declared that Surat is on the cusp of a historic achievement. The state aims to transform the diamond city into the nation's first major metropolis to be completely free of slums.
A Two-Decade Transformation Journey
State government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani revealed the ambitious plan on Wednesday. He highlighted the remarkable progress Surat has already made, stating that the proportion of its population living in slum areas has seen a dramatic decline over the past twenty years. From a high of 38%, the slum-dwelling population has plummeted to just 5% today. This sets a strong foundation for the final push towards total eradication.
Vaghani credited the favourable circumstances and directed focus from the state's leadership for this goal. "The Chief Minister has directed senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, to take effective measures to make Surat the state's first slum-free city," he said, underscoring the administrative priority given to this mission.
Surat's Milestone vs. Chandigarh's Achievement
The spokesperson drew a clear distinction to emphasize the scale of Surat's potential achievement. While Chandigarh already holds the title of India's first slum-free city, its population is around 10 lakh (1 million).
"In comparison, Surat's population is approximately 70-80 lakh (7-8 million), making this achievement more significant in terms of scale and complexity," Vaghani explained. This comparison highlights that making a city of Surat's vast size and economic complexity slum-free is an urban management challenge of a completely different magnitude.
Blueprint for a Slum-Free Gujarat
The vision for Surat is not an isolated project but part of a broader state-wide strategy. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed officials to begin planning to replicate this success in other cities across Gujarat in a phased manner.
This indicates a systematic, long-term approach to urban redevelopment and housing for all. The successful model developed for Surat, with its unique challenges of a large migrant workforce and rapid industrial growth, could serve as a template for other Indian cities grappling with similar issues.
The push to make Surat slum-free represents a major step in reimagining urban living standards in India. If successful, it will not only improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents but also set a new benchmark for inclusive urban planning in the country's rapidly growing cities.
