Migration and urban absorption for sustainable development and management of urban services in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal | |
| Author | Karna, Suman Kumar |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. HS-97-10 |
| Subject(s) | Migration, Internal--Nepal--Kathmandu Valley Urbanization--Nepal--Kathmandu Valley |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. HS-97-10 |
| Abstract | Migration is increasingly becoming a major determinant of the national, regional and local level because of greater mobility of people and resources. Migrants proportion to total Kathmandu Valley population is estimated as high as 45% though it is grossly underestimated in the national census data. Urban absorption of migrants in the present context is a reality and this study accepts the challenge of contributing to this task for maintaining and even enhancing the status of the Valley as an economically vibrant and quality of life-wise attractive place. The study begins with the point of departure from the more common migration study and policy approach of controlling migration to search for ways and means of absorption of migrants i.e. their integration in the overall urban system with the provision of key urban services. A two-prong approach is adopted to analyze the research findings based on the questionnaire survey and secondary data source. In one, urban management problem is seen to arise more because of an unabated migration flow while in another it is seen as a problem more because of poor management. Three different sites and three different services have been selected in order to examine the state of present urban services. Findings of the study suggest that understanding of migration characteristics in a particular city is a pre-requisite for city level actions on urban services. Migrants' origin, length of residence in the city, education, occupation and income, are the key factors that need to be considered in urban service provisions. The existing urban services in many instances are not found to correspond to the real need of the migrants. For example, altogether 92% of the migrants are living in rental housing, there is no formal rental housing scheme in the Valley. Similarly 80% of the migrants live with legal water connection line while only 15% of them are paying for the water they use. Such situation aggravates the gap between the urban services needed and the services provided which is the prime cause of poor living status of migrants in the Valley. Affordability limit and willingness to pay are two main criteria to be considered for the provision of urban services to meet migrants' real needs. Encouraging survey findings include respondents' income being considered sufficient, willingness to pay higher for better housing and service charge against the water they use. Also encouraging is the willingness to provide helping hand for better waste management. Involvement of local residents in the provision of urban services with the initiative of municipality is found as the basic urban management criteria for better urban absorption. Migrants' integration in the overall urban system requires improvement at two fronts: one in the ongoing management system (e.g. style of work without recognizing the real needs of target group) and another on the part of migrants (e.g. change in spending pattern). Meeting demand, creating awareness and to some extent special attention by the urban authority to migrants' problems are what are needed for the required change in present management system as well as the spending priority of Valley migrants. The results clearly point that knowing the migrants' reality such as that their propensity of saving is high can be a factor in their absorption in the Valley. Such evidence cab be a basis for designing small change, modification and some improvement in the existing system in addition to new package of services if needed (e.g. rental housing scheme). |
| Year | 1997 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. HS-97-10 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Amin, A.T.M. Nurul; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kioe-Sheng, Yap;Thapa, Gopal Bahadur ; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | DAAD; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997 |