Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements.
‘Right to the City’ is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each country in this regard.
‘Right to the City’ gives every occupant of the city the right to reclaim public spaces and public participation in the city.
‘Right to the City’ means that the State cannot deny any public service or facility to the unauthorised colonies in the city.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Only 1
Only 3
1 and 2
2 and 3
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Right to the City is an evolving framework associated with inclusive, equitable and sustainable urban life. It is not recognised as a separate, universally agreed human right under a binding global treaty. Therefore, the accompanying claim concerning the monitoring of each country’s commitments is also incorrect.
Statement 2 is correct. The Right to the City is broader than a mere right to reside in an urban area. It includes:
Equal and safe access to public spaces.
Participation in the use and reclamation of public spaces.
Participation in urban planning and local decision-making.
Equitable access to urban resources and opportunities.
Statement 3 is correct. A person does not lose the protection of human dignity or access to essential public facilities merely because they live in an unauthorised colony or informal settlement. Water supply, sanitation, public health and other basic services are closely connected with a dignified life.
However, the provision of basic services does not, by itself, regularise an unauthorised colony or confer ownership rights over the land. Regularisation, land title and enforcement of building regulations remain separate legal matters.
Relevant constitutional provisions include:
Article 14—equality before law.
Article 21—the right to live with dignity.
Article 38—promotion of a welfare-oriented social order.
Article 47—the State’s duty to improve public health.
Article 243W and the Twelfth Schedule—municipal functions such as urban planning, water supply, sanitation, public health, slum improvement and urban poverty alleviation.