Mumbai Urban Transport Project. Communications lessons learned, failed, fumbled and nailed

Transcription

1 Mumbai Urban Transport Project Communications lessons learned, failed, fumbled and nailed

2 Very distinct time periods in the lifespan of MUTP from a communications angle: Preparation Before the Inspection Panel/suspension The IP period Post IP My colleagues Sumir Lal, Sudip Mozumder and Sona Thakur: all on the frontline of this difficult project

3 During preparation mid 90s, communications always on the agenda but short changed Beginning 2000 attention from EXT consistent But split: R&R was in the hands of trusted NGO Bank EXT tackled the more resistant client: stressed state government ownership of the messages; convinced client to hire comms company, do the PR, sell the project

4 This sale in essence became a Mumbai class struggle. Middle class commuters and media had little patience for hutment dwellers Saw the Bank treating decent citizens on par with encroachers; R&R requirements slowing work Some good Western media coverage of Bank on the side of the poor

5 Rail R&R came first, seemingly model resettlement, great before n after images Road component introduced a whole new crowd of people: shopkeepers with voice Where SPARC was able to manage the dispossessed, shopkeepers were different Bank missed the big picture; IP was triggered

6 News coverage capturing the bitterness at the time We feel that World Bank is putting too much constraints on us and adding new conditions leading to project cost escalation. Dr T. Chandra Shekhar One of the main grievances of the state government was the way the World Bank had insisted on not only rehabilitation of the hutment dwellers, but also alternate arrangements for the commercial structures like shops and workshops which were also being moved. WB nitpicking leaves MMRDA fuming. The WB s inspection panel is being used by the shopkeepers to extract maximum rehabilitation. But who is accountable for the lakhs of commuters who are suffering due to cost escalation and delay of projects. Dr T. CS Maharshtra spurns World Bank, looks for love in Tokyo They don t understand our politics. It s a blessing. They are stopping our cause rather than helping us. We are planning to withdraw from the World Bank and we will go to other sources of funding. We cannot dance to the tune of these people. Dr T. CS

7 IP and suspension communications stressed Bank as key partner in India s urban development challenge Explained equity based R&R as critical for Mumbai s dream of itself Action plan positioned as opportunity for Bank/MMRD to address issues urgently; stressed communication/participation components: grievance mechanisms, consultation

8 Mumbai Urban Transport Project Website

9 Bank statements reported at the time The World Bank is committed to assisting India confront the tremendous challenges of its ambitious urban renewal vision in ways that strengthen the country s impressive march against poverty, Hopefully the improvements we are making in this Bank-funded Project in Mumbai can be useful for India in addressing the problems of urban poverty throughout the country We will not disengage for a moment in the process of helping the government to fix this, consistent with our agreements and in a manner in which civil works can continue without undue delay. No one should be left behind, neither shopkeepers nor householders. Bank was confident the issues could be addressed

10 Post suspension/ip Built recognition within MUTP/MMRDA that proactive dissemination was key Engaged media editors at a level not attempted before. Things shifted: almost seemed as if the media started considering the Bank as a partner in pushing citizens agenda. Sudip

11 Some press coverage as the tide shifted The projects can progress now without any hitch. Project director Milind Mhasikar MMRD also put out a tender for a consulting agency that will guide PAPs mostly slum dwellers to adapt to life post-rehab. MMRD rehab plan a boon for the homeless. There was a paradigm shift in the way we have been looking at rehabilitation and resettlement. We now realize that we are giving these people an asset. So we have to teach them asset management. MMRDA chief planner Kedarnath Ghorpade This is the first time that an agency involved in rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected persons has taken up an effort to educate them.

12 Key learnings Benefits of proactive communications; regular flow of information to balance negative placements Support and proactive engagement of TTL Hubert is really the hero here EXT s on the ground involvement, sustained, continuous assessment of situation to develop different approaches

13 The clearest picture in the rearview mirror Political analysis, ongoing political analysis And still more, political analysis The who, where and what connection, the patronage networks of Mumbai, will always thread beneath the best blueprints for India s Shanghai, India s 21st Century megalopolis. Read Maximum City (and be afraid)