Slums in urban areas are often marked by hazardous living conditions, including inadequate housing, poor sanitation, and limited access to basic services, which contribute to significant health, safety, and socio-economic challenges. This case study focuses on the slums of Visakhapatnam, a major port city in India, exploring the various factors that contribute to hazardous environments in these informal settlements. By assessing the physical infrastructure, sanitation, and socio-economic conditions, the study aims to understand the impact of these adverse conditions on residents' quality of life. Through surveys, field observations, and interviews with local residents and urban planners, the research highlights critical issues such as overcrowding, inadequate waste disposal, water contamination, and vulnerability to natural disasters. The findings reveal the compounded challenges faced by slum dwellers, including high rates of communicable diseases, limited access to education, and exposure to environmental hazards. The study also examines potential policy interventions and strategies for improving the living conditions in these areas, emphasizing the need for integrated urban planning, community-driven solutions, and government support to address the pressing issues of hazardous slums in Visakhapatnam.

Hazardous slums, urban challenges, slum environments

B.Survyaswara rao ,G.Ramachandrudu,and T.Venkatraju (1993),“ evolutionary study of the Visakhapatnam slum improvement project. by ODA, IDPS.

United Nations Human Settlements Program (2003), “ The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements”, 2003. Nairobi: UN-HABITANTS

K.Vidyavathi, Explained the growth of slums in india-an economic analysis of 2001,censis figure.

M.Shivasankaraiah, K. Thulasi Naik and K.Dasaratharamaiah(2008), discussed about Environmental pollution, SOUTHRN ECONOMIST June 1, 2008.,

C R Sridhar(2006) Sky Above, Mud Below , slum Demolition and Urban Cleansing, Economic and political weekly, June24,2006 Vol:XLI , No.25, pp2529-2631.

Dr. Devaram A.Nagdeva (2002),IUSSP Regional Population Conference on Southeast Asia‟s population in changing Asian context at Bangkok, Thailand, 10-13 June 2002.

David Vlahov, Nicholas Freudenberg and et al. (2007), “Urban as a Determinant of Health”, Journal of Urban Health, Vol. 84, No. 1, p.p: 16-26.

Elizabeth Wambui Kimani-Murage and Augustine M. Ngindu (2007), “Quality of Water - the Slum Dwellers Use: The Case of a Kenyan Slum”, Journal of Urban Health, Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Vol. 84, No. 6, p.p: 829-839.

Smith K.R. and Lee Y.S. (1993), “Urbanization and environmental risk transition”, Sage publications, California, p.p: 108-120.

Philip Amis and Sashi Kumar (2000), „Urban economic growth, infrastructure and poverty in India: lessons from Vishakapatnam‟, Journal of Environment & Urbanization, Vol.12 No 1 April 2000, p.p: 185-196.