Residents Welfare Associations - Printable Version

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Residents Welfare Associations - Pramod Gupta - 12-14-2016

Residents welfare associations or citizen groups can be associated with the planning at neighbourhood level.

Resident Welfare Association (frequently abbreviated as RWA) is a civic body that represents the interests of the residents of a specific urban or suburban locality in Indian cities. Membership is voluntary, and the leadership is usually elected by fee-paying members. RWAs are not official organs of government, and even slums and illegal housing localities can form RWAs to represent citizen interests

In the Urban Indian context, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have been recognised as an important stake holder, whose inputs and participation are of importance at neighborhood planning and development. RWAs today are instrumental in encouraging citizen's participation in planning, improving and ensuring better living environments.


Empowering residents helps to identify better the areas of conflict and their practical solutions, as well as participate in the decision making process of fund utilization . Increasing levels of awareness and desire to participate at the Neighbourhood level to resolve common issues are today drawing likeminded residents to work together
City level interventions and other Master Plan proposals like revision in Floor Area Ratio , Transit Oriented Development, Mixed Land use roads etc will transform existing planned areas and need an evaluation of their impact.

Socio economic transformations and increasing residential densities have negatively stressed existing infrastructure. In many planned residential areas, the nature of developments in adjoining areas also have their impact on the existing infrastructure and circulation network.

The changing political ideologies, with its positive stress on civic issues creates a suitable climate /platform to push for reforms. Active participation of the public in urban planning issues, including redevelopment and improvement is being sought for by the Government and could be the game changer at the urban grass root level.

The Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) irrespective of their socio-economic status can be instrumental in bringing about a visible change towards this end through active Citizens' Participation and empowerment. The citizens and RWAs of adjoining neighbourhoods need to work together to plan and engage local authorities to ensure implementation.

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