PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE APPLIED TO INFORMAL HOUSING REGULARIZATION PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF BATNA: ALONG THE COVERING OF THE CITY'S BELT CANAL

Abstract

Background: The city of Batna is experiencing major urban development projects initiated as part of the 2010-2014 five-year plan, which aims to improve the image of the city and the quality of life of its citizens. These urban development projects mainly concerned the Oued Batna belt canal which crosses informal neighborhoods. However, they were not completed until 2019 due to the economic and political crisis. Furthermore, the reluctance of residents regarding the demolition of their informal homes had essentially slowed down the start of work, but they ended up giving in either by law or by consultation. As part of our PRFU project (2019-2024), we conducted a retrospective evaluation study of citizen participation and their satisfaction with these urban improvements and we share part of its results.