Homelessness in Delhi: Surviving Heat and Hardship

Homelessness in Delhi: The Scorching Struggle

Delhi's summer heat is a merciless foe, especially for the city's homeless population. The relentless sun turns the streets into a furnace, claiming lives that often go unnoticed. As we traversed the bustling city, we encountered numerous heart-wrenching stories of suffering and endurance.

One such story is that of Anil Kumar, a homeless man who couldn't hold back his tears as he shared his plight.

"We don’t even have the money to pay rent for a room," Anil broke into tears. "My children are depressed, both my son and daughter. There is no breadwinner in my house."

Anil’s daily struggle to make ends meet involves selling scrubbers on the streets. "I sell scrubbers, going from street to street, and earn just 5 rupees per scrubber," he explains. "We can’t even afford tea and water. We have nothing; we are living on footpaths. There is nothing to eat and nowhere to live."

The oppressive heat adds another layer to their suffering. "Because of the heat, we can’t sleep at night, and the beds get warm too," Anil describes. "We plead with them (the government) to at least provide us with some shelter so that we can live with our children peacefully."

Homelessness and the Relentless Heat

Delhi's scorching summer does not discriminate, but for the city's homeless, it intensifies their daily struggles, pushing them further into the margins. Amid this blistering adversity, voices like Mohammed Maksud Ansari's bring to light a stark and sobering reality.

"What does the poor man have? He is happy in happiness and in sadness," Ansari reflects. "Now, people like us are okay with one meal a day and okay even if we eat nothing at all. Even if we don’t eat anything, we won’t ask anyone to feed us because of our circumstances. We are lying on the road because of our circumstances. We belong to poor families."

The heat does not spare anyone, but for the homeless, it adds an extra layer of hardship. "Heat is not just for us but for everyone, so a person survives somehow. Some live under the tree and some live under the cooler," Ansari continues. "So if you talk about us, we live under the tree when it is sunny, and when we are doing our work, we survive somehow."

Ansari adds "To date, I haven’t seen the government giving a home to a person lying on the streets or keeping them in any NGO. Even if we go to an NGO, we do not get any job or anything," he explains. "At the most, the NGOs take people in and ask them not to use tobacco or smoke cigarettes or indulge in substance abuse. Okay, I understand substance abuse is bad but people get into substance abuse because of their circumstances… when they are unhappy or troubled."

Homelessness in Delhi: The Scorching Struggle

Delhi's summer heat is a merciless foe, especially for the city's homeless population. The relentless sun turns the streets into a furnace, claiming lives that often go unnoticed. As we traversed the bustling city, we encountered numerous heart-wrenching stories of suffering and endurance.

One such story is that of Anil Kumar, a homeless man who couldn't hold back his tears as he shared his plight.

"We don’t even have the money to pay rent for a room," Anil broke into tears. "My children are depressed, both my son and daughter. There is no breadwinner in my house."

Anil’s daily struggle to make ends meet involves selling scrubbers on the streets. "I sell scrubbers, going from street to street, and earn just 5 rupees per scrubber," he explains. "We can’t even afford tea and water. We have nothing; we are living on footpaths. There is nothing to eat and nowhere to live."

The oppressive heat adds another layer to their suffering. "Because of the heat, we can’t sleep at night, and the beds get warm too," Anil describes. "We plead with them (the government) to at least provide us with some shelter so that we can live with our children peacefully."

Homelessness and the Relentless Heat

Delhi's scorching summer does not discriminate, but for the city's homeless, it intensifies their daily struggles, pushing them further into the margins. Amid this blistering adversity, voices like Mohammed Maksud Ansari's bring to light a stark and sobering reality.

"What does the poor man have? He is happy in happiness and in sadness," Ansari reflects. "Now, people like us are okay with one meal a day and okay even if we eat nothing at all. Even if we don’t eat anything, we won’t ask anyone to feed us because of our circumstances. We are lying on the road because of our circumstances. We belong to poor families."

The heat does not spare anyone, but for the homeless, it adds an extra layer of hardship. "Heat is not just for us but for everyone, so a person survives somehow. Some live under the tree and some live under the cooler," Ansari continues. "So if you talk about us, we live under the tree when it is sunny, and when we are doing our work, we survive somehow."

Ansari adds "To date, I haven’t seen the government giving a home to a person lying on the streets or keeping them in any NGO. Even if we go to an NGO, we do not get any job or anything," he explains. "At the most, the NGOs take people in and ask them not to use tobacco or smoke cigarettes or indulge in substance abuse. Okay, I understand substance abuse is bad but people get into substance abuse because of their circumstances… when they are unhappy or troubled."

Homelessness: Living on the Brink

The intense heat waves in Delhi have been merciless, particularly for those without a roof over their heads. The homeless endure unimaginable hardships, living on the brink of survival every single day. One such individual is Devli, who has spent her entire life in the shadow of the Tagore Garden metro station.

"I live beneath the Tagore Garden metro station. Originally, I am from Rajasthan. My ancestors were from Rajasthan. I have spent my childhood here, I was born on the road, and maybe even my death will be on the road itself," Devli shares. "Our condition is miserable. Our children are suffering to survive in this heat. We are living like animals. We have to fetch water from far away."

Homelessness and the Fight for Basic Needs

Devli's story exposes the daily battle for survival. "Sometimes, when people come here to give us food, we try to survive on that. If the government provides us with shelter, we will live and raise our children inside the home itself," she states. "We want to get out of here and get a good life too. Our children should get education and we don’t want them to beg on the streets. At least if our children get an education, they can take care of themselves. That’s our only wish."

Homelessnes in Delhi is a stark reminder of the city's hidden struggles. Mohammed Islam's story highlights the relentless adversity faced by those without a roof over their heads, battling not just poverty but also systemic neglect and violence.

"We just keep lying under the tree," says Islam. "We used to have our jhuggi in Khusro Park, which was burned down and destroyed by the police. After leaving that area, I lived under a bridge for six years. Now, after six years, I have shifted to this place. For the past five to six years, I have been staying here."

Islam's account sheds light on the constant challenges faced by the homeless. "We have to face hardship when it rains, during thunderstorms and in the winters. We are chased daily by the police. Today also, they will come at 8 P.M. and chase us away," he asserts. "We poor need a roof above our heads. Getting a roof under which we can hide our heads is all we need. I don’t wish for anything else."

The dangers of living on the streets are ever-present for the homeless. "If someone drinks and drives recklessly, they just hit us with their vehicles, and there’s no one who would look after us. Not even the police pay attention to this," Islam explains. "Two years ago, two of my children died under the bridge due to such an accident. Nothing happened after that; no hearing or action was taken. It was because my girl did not have any supporting documents, neither identity proof nor Aadhar Card. No hearing was conducted because we are poor; we live on footpaths. So, how will anyone hear us out?"

Struggling for Survival

In the unforgiving heat of Delhi, the homeless grapple with a daily battle for survival. Shakuntala’s story exposes the dire conditions faced by those who lack even the basic necessities of life. Her broken leg adds to her suffering, rendering her unable to fend for herself in an already harsh environment.

"We are sitting here in this heat with no water or food. We stay hungry and pass the time," Shakuntala states. "My leg is broken, so I can’t earn and eat. That’s why I have to stay hungry. It's too hot here, and we don’t get water."

Despite the severe conditions, there are moments of kindness. "Some people come to donate food like biscuits, kheer, and samosas, then we get to eat," Shakuntala notes. However, she emphasises the urgent need for more consistent support. "We want the government to provide us with some money, food and water. We need a place to hide our heads."

Raising a Family on the Streets

The homeless in the national capital face a daily struggle for survival, with little to no assistance from the authorities. Chotu’s story reveals the harsh reality of raising a family on the streets, where even basic needs are a luxury and dreams of a better future seem distant.

"The government doesn’t give us anything, neither in our village nor here," Chotu shares. "We are all sitting here with our children. We barely earn 250 - 300 rupees a day. With that, I feed my children. I don’t have enough income, so how can I provide education to my children?"

The relentless weather and lack of basic amenities have turned life into a constant battle for survival for many homeless people in Delhi. Bechu's story paints a vivid picture of life on the streets, where each day is a struggle to secure food, water, and shelter for his family. The added indignity of having to defecate in the open only adds to the misery.

"My name is Bechu. I have been living on the streets for about 20 years," Bechu explains. "Earlier, I was living in the Paper Market before I was banished. Now I have put up a tent amidst the trash. People who come here don’t have houses. If I had a home, I would have gone back to it. I am living here, barely surviving and fighting against time, keeping my children alive. I am doing odd jobs here and there to make ends meet."

The searing heat exacerbates the already dire situation. "What can I do in this heat? I would have left for my home if I had one. I don’t have a home," Bechu laments. "Whatever little I earn from working the entire day gets spent on food and water. I work menial jobs for Rs. 400 per day, with which I feed my children, my wife, and myself. The water tanker brings water. We don't like it, but we have no choice. Out of compulsion, we drink it. The water supply is far away, and there is always a long queue. Sometimes we get it, sometimes we don't. There are no toilet facilities here. We go in the open fields by the jungle or by the canal."

The harsh realities of life for Delhi's homeless population is starkly illustrated by Sukhlal's story. Like Bechu, Sukhlal also lives amidst trash near the Gazipur police station. He told us that he has been living amidst a pile of trash for nearly thirty years. He and his family face daily struggles for basic necessities like food and water.

"My name is Sukhlal, and I’m 40 years old. We have been living amidst trash for about 30 years now… near Gazipur police station," Sukhlal states. "If someone comes here to distribute something, we feed it to our children. Otherwise, we keep lying here in the dust and dirt. During the summer, our children all lie here. There’s no water or any other facilities available. We struggle a lot to find food and water."

Statistics and Struggles

The issue of homelessness in Delhi is a complex and persistent problem, intensified by inadequate facilities and fluctuating official statistics. Sunil Kumar Aledia, a founding member of the Centre for Holistic Development, provides a detailed overview of the grim reality faced by the city's homeless population.

"In 1976, the census survey counted 19,000 homeless people. According to the census in 2001, around 24,000 people were declared homeless. The census in 2011 reported that 46,000 people were homeless. However, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) reports that in 2024, only 16,760 people were living on the streets in Delhi," Aledia explains.

Discrepancies in Data

The discrepancies in data highlight the challenges in addressing the problem. "If we talk about these numbers and the capacity of these night shelters, there are 203 night shelters in Delhi, out of which 103 are made with temporary structures. The residents of these shelters are troubled by the heat and are unwilling to stay there," Aledia states. "The government claims that these 203 night shelters can accommodate 20,000 people, but this is an exaggeration. In reality, the capacity has been exaggerated by 80 per cent. In these shelters only 5,000-6,000 people can be accommodated."

Experts estimate that only 1% of Delhi's population is being counted as homeless. "If we agree with the 1% figure, then as per 2010-2011 figures, the total population was 1 crore 38 lakh people which means that about 1 lakh 38,000 people are homeless in Delhi," Aledia points out. "When we talk about the vulnerable section, those on the margins lack basic facilities like even a roof over their head. They work in cities and often feel deceived and let down."

The historical context further complicates the issue. "It has been observed that a large population has become homeless in Delhi since the Partition from 1947 onwards, the demolition and eviction during the 1982 Asiad and subsequent Commonwealth Games and G20 summit. Because of these, a large number of people can be seen living on the streets of Delhi-NCR," Aledia remarks.

Homelessness in Delhi is a dire situation, with people suffering through every season. "People who are homeless have to suffer in every weather, be it winter, summer, or the rainy season," Aledia notes. "From June 11 to June 19, 192 people have died due to the summer heatwave, hypothermia, communicable diseases and other illnesses. The people who are suffering the most are between 25-40 years old, which is a significant number."

The systemic neglect is evident in how the homeless are treated posthumously. "If you look at their profiles, photos, you can tell that most of the people who are dying are homeless people," Aledia states. "But when we go to the police or doctors, they don’t acknowledge that these people are homeless on record because if they accept it on record, then the government will have to be held accountable."

A Crisis Beyond Numbers

The sobering reality of homelessness in Delhi is marked by systemic neglect and a severe lack of resources. Despite official claims, the numbers tell a different story—thousands live without shelter, facing harsh weather and daily hardships. Night shelters are inadequate, and official statistics often underreport the true extent of the crisis. The government's failure to provide basic necessities like food, water, and sanitation intensifies the suffering. It is clear that without substantial and immediate intervention, the plight of Delhi’s homeless will only continue to worsen. 

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