International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 07 Issue: 07 | July 2020 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 © 2020, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 7.529 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 694 Impact of Covid-19 in India’s Urban slum and Informal Settlement Vivek Garg 1 , Shubham Yadav 2 , Shraddha Garg 3 1 Assistant Professor UTD CSVTU Bhilai, Urban Planning Department 2 Assistant Professor UTD CSVTU Bhilai, Urban Planning Department 3 Block Technology Manager ATMA Bhagalpur ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract - As per census 2011 India’s urban poor residents residing within informal settlements is over 65 million which is roughly 17 per cent of the entire urban Population In Andhra state one out of each three urban households is a slum nine out of each 10 slum families in Odisha do live either without a sewerage connection or connected to an open gutter Six out of 10 slum inhabitants reside adjacent to unsanitary sewers and approximately four of each 10 do not receive treated water. The situation of urban slum is even going more vulnerable in the Covid- 19 pandemic. While the affluent urban residents can afford to assure hygiene, access to essentials and non- essentials, physical distancing, work from home, and get protected under the social safety measures, urban poor are even struggling to survive in this pandemic. But though they are being the victims, they are even mainly blamed for spreading the coronavirus disease and become target of isolation, stigma, and social perception. Reaching to the immense uncertainties of the pandemic, we hold ill-famed examples like the relatively big outbreak in Dharavi, Mumbai, or the spread of the virus in the slum area of Bhopal, Delhi, and elsewhere. Key Words: slums; global health; coronavirus; informal settlement; community health; 1. INTRODUCTION The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has changed everything. It has forced humanity to flex and evolve, both in real-time and in the long-term. Physical- and social-distancing are buzzwords and an integral part of daily life. In India, unprecedented urban sprawling already impedes intensification of complex, urban issues including but not limited to land, water and sanitation. Almost 65 million people or 17 per cent of the urban population live in informal settlements. These two factors, combined with the fact that India has a population density of 200,000 people per square kilometer in slums like Dharavi in Mumbai, mean that social distancing is almost impossible in the country. The urban slum population is more prone to deficiency of basic amenities like safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and health care services. Dharavi, Mumbai The unprecedented lockdown in the country to prevent the spread of the virus may be well-intentioned but not adequate for this section of the population. A lockdown may be an effective approach to stop the spread of virus. However, the impact of COVID-19 on informal workers, domestic workers, street-vendors etc. who are often ‘invisible’ during the normal days, will not just be restricted to them, but will have multidimensional risks to the country as a whole. There are about 750 slums in Delhi which have a population of about 15 to 20 lakh. At a time when the Delhi government has asked people to home-quarantine themselves in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, how is it possible to maintain '2 gaj ki doori' in these areas where there are very small houses and a dense population. After the spike in coronavirus cases in Delhi, the government decided to quarantine coronavirus patients at home. While the decision is suitable for those living in houses which have two or three rooms, it is not feasible for those residing in 8x8 rooms in overcrowded slums.