Slum Upgrading Programs and Disaster Resilience: A Case Study of an Indian ‘Smart City’

Analytical literature on the exact link and nature of problems faced by the urban poor due to climate change and disasters is scarce. The objective of this research is to identify slum residents’ current disaster management (DM) strategies, their perceived needs, and preferences for infrastructural upgrades. Twenty-four in-depth interviews and nine focus groups were conducted with community members in seven different communities in Ahmedabad, India. One important finding was that some physical and non-physical infrastructure needs were not considered in traditional slum upgrading strategies. Implications of these findings can be considered for DM strategies and for Sustainable Development Goal #11.