Periurban, Post Rural, and Rural Intensification
DR VICTORIA JANE MARSHALL
M.Arch & M.Landscape Arch
Shared Options Design Research Studio Semester 2 AY24/25
Editor: Victoria Jane Marshall
Book Designer: Lu Yixin
420 Pages
Aug 2025
ISBN: 978-981-94-3959-1
Periurban, Post Rural, and Rural Intensification
The Kolkata studio is focused on the edge of Kolkata, India. Typically, the edges of cities are thought of as not much more than “becoming urban”. In this studio you will look anew at that assumption by asking the following questions. What can be learnt from thinking about the futurefromareaswherethechallengesofurbanisationandagricultural intensification are entangled? What if architects, landscape architects, and urban designers’ practices and projects anticipated the hybrid, urban-rural future? If so, what forms might it take here? Furthermore, can you critique the notion of the urban edge, for processes of urbanisation are now everywhere?
JAN-APRIL 2025
STUDENTS
Aqil Akmal
Akshitha Vadlakunta
Aw Wei Kang
Hiral Patel (Booklet Design)
Juliana Masiclat
Lu Yixin (Booklet Design)
Shruthakeerthi Karthikeyan
Zhang Shijie
TUTOR
Dr Victoria Jane Marshall
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Guest Reviewers
ASMA KHAWATMI
CHANG JIAT HWEE
DENISE LEE
EUGENE KOH
EVI SYARIFUDIN
LAI CHEE KIEN
ROSITA SAMSUDIN
ZDRAVKO TRIVIC
Bengali Research Assistants
ANGKIT BAGCHI
DAS
FARHIN
BALLEYGUNGE MARKET
KOLEY MARKET
BIDYAHARPUR STATION
KALIKAPUR STATION
CHAMPAHATI STATION
PIALI STATION
CANNING STATION
MEDIATING THE MORASS
Hiral Patel
RECLAIMING WATER AGENCY
Shruthakeerthi Karthikeyan
REFUGE IN COMMONS
Aqil Akmal
AGROPOLITAIN INCREMENTALITY
Zhang Shijie
ARISE, CHILDREN OF THE PERIURBAN
Lu Yixin
Akshitha Vadlakunta
SARI DAYBEDS
Juliana Masiclat HEALED BY TIME
SETTLING UNSETTLING
Aw Wei Kang
Name: Panchali Gayen
Sells under a tree on a mat.
Been selling vegetables for 35 years at the same place.
Vegetable Source: Chandansar, Lalgola Naihati, Bongaon, Baruipur Koley market, Canning, Budge Budge by local trains.
Lives at South Baruipur, wakes up at 2 am, comes by first local train at 4 am.
Timing: 6am-3pm/4:30pm.
Someone else would come to take over her for the evening market. Does wholesale from 6am-8am, 8am onwards sells as retail.
Daily Profit: 200-300 rupees.
Rent: No rent as it is an informal setup and it has been her spot in the market for a long time.
Sells from a small unit with street canopy extension. Been selling fruits at the same place for 22 years.
Fruits Source: Sealdah North/Koley Market.
Transport fruits from Koley Market to Ballygunge by taxi.
Timing: 6am-2pm (until it sells out).
Used to live in the area, sleep in the shop overnight. Has regular daily customers.
Business dependent on the weather. Rainy seasons sales are down as less people come, and it is hard to sell outdoors without shelter.
Fruits change by the season, for instance mango during summer.
Daily Profit: 500 rupees.
Rent: 1600 rupees per month.
Name: Sujit Mondal
Sells in indoor fish market.
Been selling fish for last 40 years at the same spot.
Fish Source: Rai Dhighi.
Buys from a middleman who sells to the whole market of stalls. Fishes mostly from ponds (freshwater, farmed fishes).
Seasonal variations in fishes he sells.
Rent: 14 rupees a day, did not increase as much as government controls the prices.
If he doesn’t sell out, he will store in the market ice box (freezer).
Name: Preeti Pandit
Sells in Indoor Market. Been selling chicken for the last 15 years. Chicken Source: A farm near Kolkata Airport. Live chickens were bought by wright. Most popular: Chicken thigh meat. Also does wholesale to big restaurants and hotels.
Profit: 1000 rupees a day.
Rent: 26 rupees a day.
Other costs: 10k rupees a month for labour + buying chicken + transport. Hires 1 worker.
Sells on a vendor tricycle. Been selling for the last 10 years.
Tricycle cart bought from elsewhere, not self-built.
Timing: 11am-12pm in the area.
Sugar Cane Source: Other provinces.
No union, no group chat/communication with each other, only acquainted with each other.
Name: Basanti Ghorai
Sells under a tree on mats, boxes and baskets. Been selling for last 2 years, took over her late husband’s business of 30-35 years.
Sells at the same place all the time. Lives at Ballygunge.
Vegetable Source: Ballygunge Wholesale Market. Sells retail.
Timing: 8am-11am in morning, 5:30/6:30pm – 10/10:30pm.
Profit: 100 rupees a day.
Observed price hikes and less sales recently.
Name: Rajkumari Shaw
Age: 70+
Been selling for 30-40 years.
Permanent shop under shade shelter, installed 5-6 years ago.
Vegetable Source: Ballygunge Wholesale Market.
Timing: 6am-10pm.
Lives at Ballygunge. Less sale now compared to before.
Name: Pintu Sardar
Been selling on his own stall for the past 5 years. Stall previously managed by his grandmother for past 32 years.
Timing: 6am-1pm.
Vegetable Source: Ballygunge Wholesale Market.
Lives at Baruipur.
Buys from Ballygunge wholesale market to reduce transport cost and maximise profit.
Commutes to market by local train at 4am.
Profit: 1000 rupees daily.
During monsoon he doesn’t sell vegetables as he doesn’t have any permanent shop with a shade.
He does fishery in his own village for 3 months during monsoon.
Name: Alpana Sardar (Female)
Fruit Source: Baruipur.
Been selling for 17 years.
Lives in Gocharan.
Comes to market by 5:40am on local train.
Profit: 300-500 rupees a day.
Shop is informal and non-permanent, pays no rent.
If she is late she has to wait for other sellers to finish selling before she could start selling.
Timing: 8:30-2pm.
Reaches home at 4pm.
After lockdown sale decreased.
Wishes for a permanent stall spot.
Name: Namita Kumil
Sells from a shaded permanent shop.
Been selling for last 15 years.
Timing: 7am-9pm.
Vegetable Source: Ballygunge market wholesaler.
Sells vegtables as retail.
Lives at Kheyada.
Profit: 200-300 rupees a day.
Authorities took 5000-10000 rupees from each stall owner when building the shades, but no need to pay additional rent afterwards.
Name: Bholanath Mondal
Been selling for 10-12 years.
Potato Source: Tarakeswa, Bardhaman by truck.
Onion/Ginger/Garlic Source: Koley Market, Sealdah.
Permanent shop under the bridge.
Rent and electricity: 300 rupees a month.
Lives at Kasba.
Sells 5-10 sacks of potatoes a day (50kg a sack).
Daily Supplies:
- Potatoes: 1000kg
- Onion: 100kg
- Ginger: 10kg
- Garlic: 5kg
Profit: 500-1000 rupees a day.
Name: Anil Kumar Gupta
Stationary Source: Burra Bazar or direct supplies from companies Does Wholesale plus retail.
Been selling for 41 years (3rd generation ).
100 years old shop. Pays 125 rupees for labour.
1000-1200 rupees/ month electricity bill.
Suggestion: If a car parking facility was built here, it would help him get more customers.
Name: Balika Mal Lives at Kasba.
Been selling for past 30 years.
Fish Source: Wholesaler for the market, fish originates from some village.
Timing: 8am-2pm, 5pm-10pm.
Profit: 300-400 rupees a day.
Rent: 10 rupees a day.
Electricity: 40 rupees a day.
Name: Kamarul
Lives at Diamond Harbour, Magrahat.
Been selling for past 25 years.
Timing:4:20am takes train from Magrahat; 5am reaches Ballygunge 5:30am1pm.
Plant Source: From family’s nursery in Magrahat, family farms in the nursery, family owns nursery, inherited from ancestors.
Profit: 500-1500 rupees a day (he is satisfied with this amount).
Rent: No rent, 600rs token money given monthly to kashba bazaar market committee union.
Aims to have a concrete shelter or shade for plants.
Faces challenges in sales during rainy season, thinks that having a sheltered store will help with this.
Mode of transporting plants: train when a few, many by a “little elephant”.
Name: Karuna Mallick
Lives at Magrahat.
Age: 65.
Been selling for past 30 years.
Timing: 3am buys fish; 4:20am takes train to Ballygunge; 5:30am-11am.
Fish Source: Daily buys 20-30kg in Magrahat fish store - small fishes mianly koi fish, puti, tangra, amodi (80-150rs/100g).
Profit: 250-300rs a day.
Rent: No rent.
Market sellers do not get support from the committee, her husband is sick and works for both of them, also no health support from market committee.
Name: Pradip Shahat (Male)
Sells under an umbrella.
Been selling fruits for 45 years, for the last 2 years he only sells coconuts
As he is getting older, he can’t carry fruits from so many different places from wholesale markets, that’s why he only goes to one place to buy, and sometimes they can deliver to him.
Coconuts Source: Tamil Nadu/Sri Lanka >> Dulagarh (Howrah) >> Ballygunge
Coconuts are not typically grown locally in Kolkata.
Timing: 4/5am-1pm.
Lives at Sonarpur.
Uses a small truck to transport coconuts.
Restocks 4 times a month, leaves unsold coconuts at Ballygunge in bags. Pays no rent.
Daily Profit: 600 rupees.
Sells each coconut at 30-40 rupees.
Sells around 200/300 coconuts a day.
-Do wholesale selling on weekdays as well
Name: Haripada Das (Male)
Sells in Indoor Market under the road flyover bridge.
Been selling for the last 35 years.
Vegetable Source: Hooghly District and Bhangar.
Buys from a middleman.
Timing: 6am to 2pm, 6pm-11pm.
Profit: 500-1000 rupees a day.
Rent: 70 rupees per day to KIT government institution.
Used to be located nearby but relocated under the bridge by the government Before this he used to work as a shop assistant for another potato shop
Customers are mostly locals living nearby.
Hotels, restaurants, small canteens only come buy sometimes for extra goods, if not they will buy at the wholesale part of market.
Market is divided into retail and wholesale parts.
Some parts of the market operate as both retail and wholesale, early mornings wholesale, late morning and evenings as retail.
Most sellers with a fixed sheltered space pay rent, but their rates vary, depending on the type of units they occupy whether it is in a concrete building or in a more temporary shelter structure, whether it is outside or part of the government owned market, and the sizes of the markets.
During COVID, indoor market was closed as it was a government operated market.
Informal market outside continued selling.
Some sellers are disrupted from selling during monsoon/rainy season as their stalls are not well sheltered.
Garbage is not taken daily, sometimes they clean it after one or two weeks.
For fish market, only those who have shops on a raised platform have to pay rent as they have a permanent stall.
Two systems unloading and selling and also buying from here and selling in retail.
The truck (that takes things outside) is hired by the seller. Mahajan - people who give money to the people who do the loading unloading.
Owner currently - Bablu Koley. Bablu’s Grandfather - Nafarchandra Koley - the market is his thus the name. 70-80 years of existence of the market.
Company worker ticket collection of inflow outflow 8 workers - 3 shifts Not about loading unloading; Keeps a track of unloading
Weighing things that go out. 8 hour shifts Wholesale weighing - 50-100 kg
Idle land - was farmed around 10 years ago - only once a year. Now- no more farming.
Low-lying area - floods in monsoon.
The land floods upto waist-level - upto 1 meter.
Outsiders came to Bidhyadharpur because the land price was cheap and job opportunities in the city.
Uses of Idle Land
- Hanging out
- Event celebrations
- Pooja
- Marriages
- Playground for children
The whole plot of idle land
- Different ownerships.
- Some owners sell the land - as dowry or when the owner died.
- The land plots was marked in different ways.
- Building houses.
- Multiple owners then distribute the plots among themselves.
Bought the land 10-12 years ago.
Moved in 4 years ago from Gosaba.
Lady is a stay-at-home.
Husband works in Sealdah.
Cactus on the roof- holy/auspicious.
College girl - college in Sealdah.
Markets for clothes and stuff - in Sealdah and Gehrihaut.
Neighbouring House
-They bought the land 18-19 years ago.
- Built the house after 2006.
-Before the house was built the land was used as a communal space.
Lady - stay-at-home. Husband works in grocery shop. Son works at a computer center.Daughter-in-Law works at a filter company.
The land is owned by the lady - passed down generations - from here grandfather.
The lady decided to move away from her in-laws (who live in diamond harbour) with her husband and son to live in a peaceful environment and raise her son away from the large joint family of the in-laws. She is not willing to sell the land. Has plans to farm for their personal use. They also wish to make a garden/park for everyone to use. They dug the pond out to make a higher ground for the house
Pond Manmade.
Soil used to make elevated paths to use during the floods. The plots are private ownership. Hyacinth grows.
A farmland in the middle of the big plot of idle land. 7 brothers - 1 died so now six brothers - own the plot of land. Mr. Mondol also owns the shop.
He had more farmlands behind his shop, near the marshlands. Problems with insects and birds - farming is destroyed. When he owned these farmlands - he used to sell the produce to the market. Now they keep the rice for their own consumption.
Government initiatives to help the farmers - subsidized pesticides and fertilizers -DAP, Potash, Urea, weedicides for before sowing.
Irrigation - built temporary ways to channel the water from the canal.
Only cultivated during the dry seasons - when it is not flooding.
He also owned a hand tractor and water pumps. He is concerned that when people will start building houses around his farmland, he will have issues to bring it in.
Lot of government initiatives but people have to apply - don’t like to apply because of joint ownership.
Joint ownership can be a problem to process the whole thing - it will be on hold If the land is divided - agriculture will run in loss.
Water/ land quality:
Quality of the canal water degraded day by day - very alkaline - due to mixing of sewage water - washing - dumping carcasses of dead bodies.
Previously when the water was clean - they used to filter and use it for house hold.
Now the water is so bad so only uses to farming.
Water - bleaching is very high.
Previously agriculture office and people came and measure the weight of the rice paddy and take away from them to the office and returned it.
Part time hired few people to cultivate
4 brothers married, 2 unmarried. They just spend home and work.
Sister in law gives food to one brother and the other gives the other friends. Not much like neighbourhood.
The brothers do different jobs.
One brother in Rajahat; another courier service - Kolkata; another in wood factory - Sonarpur.
Previously there was a wooden traditional processing rice (dhan kaul).
Now you need a license for operating ricemill.
Illegal to run the dhan kaul.
Machine is used for polishing rice - he used to go to subhashgram.
Processing is done at home thrashing and all.
Just to peel the husk they use the machines.
Just sell the paddy - only after drying.
Living here for the past 26 years.
Garden House with pond Typology.
Used to all be 1 land they own in a common old house.
His brothers’ families split the land and built more houses, split into 4 separate houses.
Newest house still under construction.
2nd newest house in yellow 6-7years old.
Not much urban design guidelines to follow. Engineer designs and builds their house and takes care of the guideline requirements by the authorises.
Work/Livelihood:
Simple farming in their small garden (only 1 of their households is doing it), for their own consumption.
Majority of them and those living in this part of town works in the city.
Mostly retail related jobs or as security guard.
He works at South City Mall.
Daily commute by train to Jadavpur Station then by Auto.
House built in phases as they don’t have enough money to build all at once, not a tax issue.
Half built house, with columns sticking out. Use these roof spaces to dry clothes.
Used to grow vegetables but engineer advised them not to as moisture would damage the house.
Basement:
Old house used to have a basement. Used as a storeroom.
Sealed and new house built over because old basement and house deteriorated.
Tulasi Plant (Holy Basil):
Holy plant that is symbolic.
Common amongst Hindu households. If the plant is not growing well, it signifies something bad is happening in the household.
Most well taken care of plant in any house, watered by women of the household.
Can be used as a cough medicine.
Mentioned that many people living here migrated from Canning and Sundarbans due to flooding and for job opportunities in the city. The area lacks proper waste management, and they just leave leftover construction materials in their yards.
House is sublet into smaller units inside.
Person they interviewed works as a delivery worker in the city. Migrated here from Sundarbans due to flooding from cyclone. Buy groceries in champahati.
Been staying ever since after the cyclone; house in sundarban destroyed by cyclone. Renting in kalikapur.Found through connections (family helped find this land).
Works in kolkata (city) and travels by cycle van. Job is transporting goods (delivery). Also goes to jadavpur for delivery. Earns about 400-500 rupees.
Wife is a homemaker and is ill.
Finds kalikapur to be less populated and little facilities. There is no community (neighbour). People dont interact much. Free time (watch tv). They dont have options for groceries, and they travel out to buy cheaper groceries
Currently not working (today) because not good business after an event (durga krishna). Receives job depending on connections through phonecall.
Moved in in 2019. Previously from Sundarbans. Land bought in 2010. As it was a low flood prone land, a lot of money had to be spent to raise the ground.
Construction time: 5-6 months for first storey to be built, 2-3 months for 2nd storey, still ongoing but they are living in the completed first storey.
May build 3rd storey if next time their children choose to continue staying here. Not sure about the future plans.
House built in phases as they don’t have enough money to build all at once. Sends kids to a good school Jyotirmoy Public School under CBSE Board (Curriculum planned by the National Education Board rather than by State Board) nearby.
Have adapted to living here.
Living here primarily for their children’s education future.
Livelihood: Husband is a high school teacher at Sundarbans, rides motorbike for 1hour+
Husband’s family used to be from Sundarbans, family there used to be farmers, now he grows the vegetables in their garden as a hobby. Grows their own Spinach, Tomato, Mangos, Chilli, Brinjal, Carrot, Pumpkins.
Good relationship with neighbours, some have been living here for a while, but most are coming from everywhere in the region and settling down.
Celebrates festivals with neighbours.
Person owning the land dug and sold the soil to help raise surrounding areas that are building new houses on top of it.
Pond made 5-6 years ago, bought by the person in 2017.
Rainwater collects in the dug-up land, forming a pond.
Becomes an informal community space where people would come.
-To wash clothes and dry them on grass fields nearby.
- Swimming for leisure.
- Fishing with netted cages, fish owned by the pond owner.
- Baths.
The pond owner allows the community to freely use the pond/does not particularly keep an eye on who is using the pond.
Land around the pond have column/ground markings, are sold and awaiting construction of house.
People in the area sell their land because of poverty.
House had their own temple outside. Preparing for the wedding of their daughter. Large family of 10, with 2 sons and 1 daughter.
Construction timeline:
Initially bought this land in 2001.
House was built gradually floor by floor over the years.
3 years to build first floor. 5 years to build next 2 floors.
House planned as a 3-storey building. Initially columns were built halfway, planned to continue expanding upwards over time.
Built with extra bedrooms for his grandchildren to use in the future. Used to have to squeeze when house was still small.
Daughter will move out after marriage and stay with the husband at a house 4km away.
Design Considerations:
Hindu Vastu: Entrance facing the south is preferred, if not east according to Hindu culture. Not much emphasis on orientation for Muslims.
Chose to build their Puja (temple) outside the house unlike typical houses which have them inside because it would complicate the spaces that women in the household could access. Women cannot enter these sacred spaces when they are on their periods.
Development in the area:
New area with new houses.
Lands here used to be farmland.
Lands here were bought individually from individual farmers rather than a farmer subdividing and selling his land, gradually over time rather than a collective resale.
Many of the houses in this area were built here before a proper road was built to connect them
Community involvement:
Locals collectively agreed to give up 3 feet of each of their land for a path/road to the houses.
decided to pool money together to build an initial mud road, approached the local government (Panchayat) to have it paved in concrete and set up municipal infrastructure like water and electricity. Did not have to pay additional tax to have these built, but government will have to send someone to survey the area to decide if there is a real need for this infrastructure.
Man interviewed has a flower business at Howrah Flower Market. Sells meddhipir , kharagpur, orrisa as a middleman. Takes flowers from the farmers and sells as wholesale them to sellers in the market.
Flowers come from Bengaluru by train and truck, preserved on ice daily, sells the flowers fresh.
Seems to be a profitable business, profits helped them build the house. Travels every day on first train at 4.30am to Sealdah, then take an auto to Howrah (Total journey: 1h 10min).
Choose to live here as land is cheaper here than in the city.
Sells until his quota for the day is sold out. Usually ends at 12/1pm. Wishes to expand his business, sell in other states.
One of their sons works in company that specialises in water treatment
Water treatment engineer.
Works on projects with big hotels, factories, large residential developments to install things like active carbon filters and septic tanks to treat wastewater before they enter the sewage system. These places get government rebates if they can prove that they have and use sewage treatment systems.
Mentions that the canal in Kalikapur drains into the Hooghly River untreated Houses here can’t afford to treat their own wastewater. But there is potential because there are pumping stations along the way which can treat wastewater.
Been selling sweets for 20 years. Does not own the space, rents from building owner. Not the owner of the shop.
Upstairs is commercial as well, is a sowing/clothing shop.
Local customers, not doing very well.
City commuting customers/locals living in the area.
Busy time in evenings when people get back from work by train.
Been in business for 15 years. Business not that great, as town is small, and people can buy things online/in the city/in champahati.
If someone buy appliances, they go sonarpur, baruipur, or kolkataSmall trucks used to deliver large items (chota hathi).
Sonarpur has a distribution center for online goods.
Businesses don’t really change in this area.
Buildings are not really getting taller, mostly stop at 2 storeys, buildings change at a very low rate.
Pharmacy owner is also the building owner, owns the pharmacy and upstairs.
Building is old, passed down from family.
Lives elsewhere in Kalikapur.
A lot of these businesses only open a few hours during train peak hours
Doctors chamber in pharmacy.
Doctors come in to do checkups occasionally for the locals.
Locals with health problems would queue up in long lines outside pharmacy to see the doctors when they are here.
Mentioned that the vegetables produced are mostly sold locally or at Champahati, not much is brought to the city to sell.
Rents out upper floor to private tuition centre.
Local Tuition Industry
-tuition centre upstairs opened for 2 years.
- trend of tuition centres in the area.
- Education curriculum in public schools not that great, students do not learn as much in the rural areas.
- For a better future, parents tend to send their children for private tuition. So that they can go to better private schools for better education.
Other businesses upstairs in other buildings nearby include - Cyber cafes
Very few buildings here are a mix of commercial and residential units.
Grandfather used to own and operate a ration shop.
-Locals would purchase necessities at a lower price using government issued coupons.
What change do they wish to see:
Wishes to see political change.
Realistically, wishes to see road, drainage etc can be improved. Wishes to see this area become a hub for job and business.
Wishes to see more public toilets in the area, currently they are badly maintained/does not exist.
Waste management issue, canals get clogged with trash.
-Canals have fishes that come from other areas during rainy seasons
-Locals would fish from canals
- Canals get clogged with trash and overgrown with plants sometimes, but the locals are unable to take the initiative to clean the river themselves as it is owned by the water department
- During cyclones, some of the areas further in Kalikapur gets flooded, takes 3 months to drain floodwaters fully
- Flood waters can get up to chest level in worst cases
- Canals don’t open the pump to prevent fishes from getting released but causes flooding. This is despite the pumps having enough power to redirect floodwater to areas like Sonarpur which can handle the floods better than here.
- They don’t use shallow pumps to get water here but elsewhere yes
- Cyclones with strong winds blow away asbestos roofs, but they are still used instead of concrete as it is a cheap material
There is not much ground up initiatives going on in the area
There are no unions in this town as there is not enough shops to form one
Champahati Fireworks Market:
Thinks the fireworks industry causes air pollution, does not believe in wasting money on the fireworks.
No fireworks industry and retail in Kalikapur. Sometimes explosion accidents can be felt here.
Mentions that the fireworks industry is known to hire child labourers from poor rural families to satisfy production demand during peak fireworks seasons.ww
Name: Bada Halda (Male)
Was on his way to mother’s house. Living in kalikapur for 45 years since born.
Works as rickshaw driver for the last 10 years.
Drives around jadavpur. Parked rickshaw there (jadavpur)
Travels there by train.
Previously worked in a plastic manufacturing company.
Manufacturing area is somewhere inside kalikapur inside.
Finds no issues with the build of the double track.
Housing also faced pushback during the build of the double track and had no compensation.
Government gave 3 notices to shift (warning).
Got pressured to migrate (move elsewhere within kalikapur).
Mother’s house is built on own land.
Govt provides 16 kg of rice.
Works different gig jobs (cleaner in kolkata).
Son is working as a carpenter in sundarban.
Name: Alponar Paik (Female)
Claims that it is 3 months old (lampost).
BDO (Block Development Officer) measured where it should be located.
Installation of surveillance due because bad things happening (cameras). Water pressure control is broken and will be fixed soon by officials.
Bamboo bridge has a fine (200 rupees).
Built during covid period (bamboo bridge).
Participatory community build.
House been around for the past 25 years. House was pushed back after the double track. Home supplies are always brought along the tracks (walk). Gets supplies from around the station. Trees and plants belongs to their garden. Government will come to cut (trees) if in the way of the train. Train boundary is placed (do not cross the line).
Train Platform Shop
-Selling for last 20-25 years.
Lives in kalikapur.
Used to be a painter (salary not sufficient).
Self-built structure.
Faced no differences between single-track and double-track.
Delivery boy comes to send supplies.
Sell fried food also (he cooks).
Shop has kitchen.
Supplies come from station market.
Shop is along a pond (behind).
Owns a papaya tree (backyard).
Built using bamboo and wood.
Hired carpenters to build (from piali).
Train platform shelter was built 5 yrs ago (built in 2 days).
Shop is restricted on platform.
Demographics:
Commuter workers/business owners with jobs in the city. Workers in the Sundarbans. Many migrated from Canning or Sundarbans due to flood and for better jobs or better education opportunities for their children. A shift in farmlands being transformed into garden homes. People here enjoy nature, prefer to grow their own vegetables and be as self-sufficient as possible.
Plantations in private home yards: Tree for wood. Tree for fruits.
5-7 years (mahogany wood).
Kodham Flower Tree wood (Dharam in hindu) used to fire the body of dead people, a holy wood.
Cattle Farmers:
Hut-like structure is actually just a big bundle of hay for cattle to feed on. Dung used to fertilise soil.
Infrastructure:
Only 1 streetlamp along the street to champahati. Locals use the streetlamp for security.
Solar powered.
Accidents before the streetlamp at night.
Increasing land prices.
Land prices in area have increased.
70,000 rupees per 126 sqm became 180,000 per 126sqm (per katha). People sell land here because they are poor/farming not doing well/lack labour to work on the farmlands.
Community Clubs:
Everyone pays subscriptions to build and maintain these clubs. Built on government land above the canal. An initiative by the village. Serves as a space for worshipping, play games hangout space at night after work.
Clubhouse has a committee of local villagers: -Elected people
- Helps to settle disputes between neighbours - Organise festival events
Clubs does not dictate who can buy the land and move into the area, everyone is welcomed to live here.
Sometimes local young mafias take over these clubs illegally and turn it into a bar and charge entries.
Sells snacks, water from a small shed by the platform. Started business when new tracks were laid for canning line to make it bidirectional.
Been selling for 20-25 years.
Occupies illegal land, so they want to keep it lowkey and down.
Paid 20000 rupees to brokers at the start to be able to set up his shed. No need to pay regular rent.
Used to own shops in many areas but decided to settle down his shop here because he lives nearby.
They have a union all the stores around are part of it. If there’s any problems, they’ll figure it out altogether.
Union is his only defense to protect him when people want to demolish.
Has a family of 2 married sons and grandchildren.
Profit: 300-400 rupees per day.
Supplies Source:
-retail shops nearby weekend market -water bottles have a middleman that deliver to his shop -other supplies like snacks he purchases and bring on his own
Selling for 10 yrs.
Sells at sealdah station also.
Sells knives, clippers, combs, scissors from a mat on platform.
Lives in the area (He has a house in champahati).
Profitable/sells very well/quickly.
He likes selling these things, finds it cool and profitable.
Displays out on a matt sells better than in a shop.
An intentional placement.
Sells on a mat because to him it is the exposure of shop (noticeable).
Has not faced any problem (union).
Storage right behind his set up.
Buys supplies from various shops (wholesale).
Potato/vegetables sold is supplied by a middleman who buys from local area farmers.
1 storey concrete shop by the station.
Been selling for 10-20 years.
Land owned by the railway.
Probably illegally built.
Different union from train station vendors (groceries union different from hawker union).
Train station vegetable market.
Selling for 30 years.
Son comes to deliver vegetables. Takes 4 hrs every day to and fro (cycle van). 4am starts delivery.
Pays a fee to the union to run the business. They are happy with the condition. No need for improvement (infrastructure).
Vendor 5
Tomato stall by the station.
Selling for the past 20 years.
Supplies come from natun bazar.
Vendor neighbours are friends and are like family. Due to increasing population (better sales).
Train is too overcrowded (problem transporting goods).
Find the interval of trains are too long.
Sells from a tricycle. Happens to be repairing his tricycle at the bicycle shop due to punctured tyre. Tricycle carts bought from the ice cream factories. He kind of works for the ice cream factories, takes 50% commission from the ice cream sales he makes. Sells in the day and at night at Champahati Market.
Been doing painting for the last 10 years. Worked as a construction worker previously. Lives around Kalikapur, but would move places if the job is faraway. 4 people working in his business. Takes about 15days to paint a house. During summer he has not much job due to rainy weather. Gets customers through word of mouth. Most customers are those looking to renovate existing houses.
4500 rupees for the bikes.
Shop assembles the new bikes, they buy parts from elsewhere.
Production: 5-6 new bikes assembled a day in their shop.
Sales: 1-3 bikes a day, varies.
Women also buy bicycles, special designs available for women. Customers: sometimes customers come from canning, they would bring bicycle onto train or cycle from faraway areas.
Most common repair: tyre gas leak/hole in tyre.
Source: Parts from Punjab. A vendor from Bharat Bazar in Kolkata resells to him, sometimes he goes there to buy himself. Bangla cycle (old Bengali traditional cycles).
Issue/trend: Less People buying bicycles now as schools in the region introduced a program to give bicycles for free to the kids, to help them have easier access to schools (Sabooj Sathi Cycle Green Companion programme).
Charges 5 rupees for 1 day of parking.
Been doing this for 15 years.
Near Champahati train station.
Most busy during rush hours in the evening. Most customers are regulars, they typically park bikes at their usual shed. Observed a reduction in bicycle usage.
Women generally do not park with him near the station as they are not city workers.
Lives near Fireworks market but has no relationship with the firework market economy there.
Bought and built house on an infilled pond. A small pond is retained behind. Been living here for last 30 years.
Living with her daughter, helping her to grow the vegetables.
Grows vegetables for self-consumption, excess sold to neighbours. Some crops have to be better protected from the elements when young, so they were grown under a tree before being replanted in less sheltered part of their yard.
Grows potatoes, cabbage.
Does not own the land, leases from the owner. Pays percentage of profits to the farmland owner. 2nd generation farmers. Sells potatoes at champahati markets in 50kg sacks. Takes 3 months to grow potatoes. Their potatoes are different from others. Also grows and sells mustard seeds, cabbage, Kohlrabi (German turnip), Coriander, ladies finger, green tomatoes, brinjal, chillis. Neighbouring plot grows rice.
Seldom grows onion as it is very difficult to grow requiring frequent tending. Uses a mix of organic and chemical fertilisers. Cow dung and certain unwanted crop parts like mustard seed shells/poorly grown potatoes are used to make organic fertilisers.
Land sales:
-Mentioned that nearby farmlands are getting sold and turned into houses, but does not really say who are these people moving in.
- Farmland generally sold to local people in the area.
-Does not feel much about this change, as it is not his land in concern, other than some concerns that if a house nearby would block the sun to their crops.
- Some students studying in college nearby would rent a house here.
- Property price in area: 15 lakhs (1.5million rupees) including land or 40,000 –50,000 rupees to build a house.
- Land price: 1-2 lakhs (100,000 – 200,000 rupees) per 120sqm of land -Workers wage: 500 rupees a day for 8 hours.
Farmer, but not growing anything at the moment.
Livelihoods:
- Daughter and husband works in sweets shop.
- Sons both work as auto driver.
- Husband and son used to work in the city, the husband worked construction labour and son worked in glass industries.
Farmers here don’t have a union. Farmers also do not really communicate with one another to decide what crops to grow to reduce competition. It is their own land, so they can grow whatever they want.
Climate vulnerability: Mentioned that unexpected rainfall during this season had caused the potatoes grown by many farmers to be damaged. Typically, rice is grown for rainy season.
Water Supply: Their farmlands here are unirrigated, need to manually water them with pond water. But for rice, they have to buy water as the iron content in pond water would cause rice to yellow.
If approached by someone to sell their land, she would be hesitant as their family prefers to grow their own food as much as possible, values a self-sufficient lifestyle.
Pressures to build more: In order for their sons to get married, they would need to either upgrade their house or build new house on their other lands for the wife to move in and start a family.
Pressures to sell land: Some neighbours daughters need dowry to give groom family when they are getting married. If these farmers are poor, they will have to sell their lands.
Selling flowers for 10 years.
Mala flowers are made by his family. Owns a flower garden.
Cycles along the stations for sales. Sonarpur station makes the most profit. Been dependent on bicycle for the past 10 yrs.
Train Station Vendors
-Buffer zones of land owned by the railway authority near the train station.
- Vendors looking to setup shop resort to illegal means illegal setup --> informal sheds made of non-durable building materials.
- Companies invited to plant forests /vegetation around railway land so that illegal vendors won’t set up on the vacant land.
Ponds
-Self-made or natural.
-May be used for fishing.
-Trash being disposed on common land near pond and burnt to ashes. No proper waste management system.
Buildings under construction:
-Observed a few and some that are half-built but already occupied.
-Rate of construction is slow; many construction sites look like there are no work being done at the moment other than 1 site.
- In Champahati town, new taller buildings are also being built.
Free time
-People play cricket in the evening on empty fields
The seller has been doing this since past 10-12 years. They have their manufacturing unit inside the village but refused to show. Have a fire extinguisher and a small bucket of sand which doesnt really help in case the whole shop is on fire.
They have a union that helps the works survive and do things illegally, mostly taking care of the fireworks manufacturing units in the village. If any accidents occur, they cover up in the news saying it is a terrorist attack.
The seller has been doing this since past 10-12 years, now the ban hit and he is looking into different options like bidi making and doing part time works in the construction industry.
She is the head of the family, she has been doing this for the past 15 years and her sons are involved in manufacturing, they have a peak season to sell, and rest of the year survive through the profits of the peak season.
They have been doing this for the past 10 years.
They do not manufacture the fireworks but they buy it from the people who manufacture and sell it here, in Kolkata and other places during the peak season.
They were actively involved in the industry before the ban, but now its hard for them to make any profits on this.
The woman is more interested in changing and exploring her options as much as possible.
She has 2 kids and now they are studying and doing jobs in Kolkata.
Her husband works in glass manufacturing company in Kolkata and travels everyday.
She is just selling the last bunch of things she has and wants some new industry that would support her and her family.
Police station: Baruipur.
Business: Piali is a good business zone, any kind of business.
Water:
Homes are following water pipes, water pipes follow the river.
Water pipes were made to connect to agricultural land.
Built by government, with contract from other agencies.
Recent increase in road and pipe construction since 2020.
Land Occupation:
Land price is cheap: 1 katha = 50 000rs
Many newcomers buy land to build a new building. Newcomers rarely come to do farming. Many farmers in the area.
Usually travel 18-19km to do cultivation (Marginal farmers).
Price is halved for land in remote places.
Land is bought from brokers.
Name: Chandan Halder
Road and Water Pipe Information:
Roads constructed by Champahati panchayat.
Road pattern is like that due to the water pipe line.
Water line is going under/beside the road.
Pipe lines were installed one year ago but still not functioning.
Roads were constructed during/after Covid.
Land Information:
Police station: Baruipur.
Agriculture land: Narayanpur, Gourda, Patuli para.
Business usually near the railway station (mostly for gorceries).
Land is quite cheap: 1.5 lakh per kattha near station.
Far from station: 60-80k per kattha.
Usually minimally buy 1-1.5 kattha.
People go to Kolkata for daily work.
Name: Prafulla Halder
Length of stay: 30-35 years in this home
Origin: Agarpara
House Information:
Land bought in 1986
House built in 1989
Population History:
Population has tripled
After 1971 war of Bangladesh refugees came to this place and settled there
After the cyclone Aila (2009), people migrated to piyali as other side of river was flooded. The price of land is increasing after that
Initially this area was inhabited by a scheduled tribe (Bagdi) and their main occupation was fishing
Land Information:
People from far areas like Madarhat and Baruiput also own agricultural land here
Half of Piali falls under Canning ps, other half Baruipur ps
This side of the road is owned and the other side is vested land (patta land + illegally occupied)
Other side of the rail, there are veries (private and artificial) (?)
Water Information:
Well drained due to elevation
Pond gets filled up during monsoon, summer is less
Boring water is used for household work
Drinking water source: Buy packaged drinking water
Fish cultivation for own consumption (Rohu, Katla, Tilapia, Indian mullet, Chinese pomfret, Bata, etc)
Drainage connected to the canal
Existing political issues so development hindered
Boring water usually used in agriculture land
Name: Kalipada Biswas
Background:
Been living here for many generations (more than 100 years)
Family: himself, wife, one son, one daughter
Occupation: agriculture in his own land (scattered across the area)and a small business - wholesale retail in Piali
His grandfather came from Madarhat for agriculture
House Information:
Self built house
Materials: straw and mud as cement, bamboo structure
Daily wipe with diluted cow dung - antiseptic and heals crack in walls
Government provided - tap and latrine
20-30 years back the electricity came here, but now the line is cut. So they’re trying to get it back
Way of life:
Neighbours share ponds, courtyard is their own
Pond sharing: 2 years each household to fish, but both using for household all times
Fish from these ponds are for daily consumption
Only purpose for going to the city is for medicinal purposes
Fishing and Cultivation:
Monsoon - fishing in lands (converted to bheris)
Do agriculture only during monsoon - as irrigation doesn’t happen here (Fishing happens incidentally)
Idle land - grazing
Waterlogged for 1.5-2 months
Agriculture then harvest the fish for 1-2 weeks
Sell stuff in the market
in: Piali, has always lived here
Occupation Infromation:
Sells until 1pm, comes back afternoon Used to work in nursing home
Since Covid, has been selling vegetables Mode of transport: van Does not own farm
Seller - Fish
Resides in: Piali
Selling for 7 years; Gangajuara fish Comes by train
Bought from middleman, who goes everywhere
Starts at 7am
Seller
Resides in: Piali
2 years working
Van driver before this, delivery for cement and bricks - due to hip injury and grew tired of his old job
No challenges opening a bike repair store
8-10 customers a day
Mostly local customers in Piali
Bought replacement parts from bazaar
1500rs monthly rent the shop from a private owner
Resides in: Piali, owns the land
Originated from Taldi, married 9 years ago
Husband is an electrician, MIL is a homemaker
Makes her own clothes, repair for clothes
2 hours in the morning (about 5-9am), 2 hours in evening
Business varies 5-6 people in a day
Store is 2 years old
Previously not working
In tha day takes care of her 3 year old child
Chose to set up the store for female empowerment, buy her own things
Learnt how to sew in college
Not everyone learns how to sew in school, but used to be a common skill in older generations
They do agriculture for themselves
Owns land far in Piali, 10-15min/4-5km away
These lands are for themselves
A lot of people got on at Sonarpur station. School children boarded at Bidyadhupur. Many got off at Champahati (0950). People also got on at Champahati. Seem to be telling each other where they’re getting off to arrange themselves near the door.
Talked to a teacher on the way to school. Lives at Sonarpur. Works at a school at Ghutiari Sharif. 10:40am-4pm classes. Students boarded.
More Students got off and on at Taldi.
Building Construction:
Locally sourced bamboo for house construction in rural areas. Bamboos bought from market or from nearby local jungles. Screen panels covering house bought from Canning Market. 72-300 rupees for bamboo/wood materials.
Carried by boats.
Hired Housebuilders. Residents give them a plan of the things they want, and built the house based on the available materials, budget and time they have Incremental step by step construction as they can’t afford to build all parts at once, build in parts, when they have more money next time, they’ll expand the house.
House Interview (cont.)
Design Considerations:
Kitchen away from toilet (dirty areas).
Bad Weather:
Evacuate to better sheltered houses built in concrete during cyclones in case their house gets damaged.
Electrical supply gets cut very often, especially during cyclones. Rely on Kerosene Lamps during blackouts.
Relationship with the land: Inherited Ancestral Land.
Grew up here, so has very dear memories of it.
Likes to and is used to living by the nature. Does not have any money or power to buy other lands, unable to move.
Livelihoods and Income:
Children goes to local school or to Kolkata.
Women do Sari, Fishing work.
Men work as Tuktuk drivers, fishing, agricultural work.
House Interview (cont.)
Their family acts as middleman for Saris. Collects locally handmade Saris, give to graders to evaluate the quality and price, and then buy from the women that made the Saris and sell them to customers.
Fishing:
Uses a middleman system.
Individual households with fishfarming ponds, when they wish to sell, they would sell to a middleman at Canning Wholesale market.
Based on a profit ratio of ~9:1 (Middleman gets 10% cut of the sales).
Because fish is an expensive and competitive commodity, it is often sold at auctioned prices at wholesale markets. A middleman is needed to help engage in this process.
Vegetables:
No middleman.
Farmers directly bring their produce to markets and sell.
Free time: Play sports. Watch TV. Gossip.
Dependency on Canning and Kolkata:
Big farmers they go to markets daily to sell.
Smaller farm or ponds they only go once or twice a year to sell.
Locals are dependent on canning and city for some daily necessities, health, education, goes there daily.
Brother goes to Sundarbans for catching fish for 15 days, goes completely off the grid; after coming back they will sell to the wholesale markets.
Festivals:
Celebrates 2 Eids - Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan); Eid al-Adha.
Celebrated with the ritual of sacrificing a Qurbani animal and sharing the meat with family, friends, and the poor . 10am gather at masjid or from house pray, reading of Quran. Separate produce for masjid, themselves and neighbors. Singing.
Bidirectional commuter flow along the Canning Line (City workers living in Periurban areas vs City Residents such as teachers commuting to the Periurban or Periurban students commuting to schools in region or vendors).
Hardly seen cars around, mostly 2 or 3 wheelers or small car/van buses.
Main main of transportation around Canning: Bikes, Motorbikes, Tricycles, Auto/Tuktuks, Van buses, Regular buses to further places.
Communities engage in agricultural activities, but are also dependent on urban markets and economies for livelihood, living necessities, services.