The homeless deserve better in Bengaluru

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Rajanna, a man in his fifties, has been sleeping outside the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna railway station in the city for several days. “I don’t exactly remember when I brushed my teeth or bathed last. I’ve not slept well for a long time. I’m without work since the pandemic began,” he said.

Like Rajanna, there are hundreds of homeless people who still sleep in the open in parks, railway stations, under flyovers, on pavements, in front of temples, mosques, churches or vacant sites.

While the homeless are generalised as “beggars”, Rajani Srikakulum, a consultant for Urban Homeless Project says that 85% of the homeless are employed in daily wage jobs such as catering, loading and unloading and construction work. All these people were rendered unemployed following the pandemic.

According to the latest survey by Non-governmental Organisations (NGO), more than 5,200 people live on the streets of Bengaluru. But the night shelters in the city cannot support more than 300 people.

Last year, the Karnataka High Court had ordered Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to set up 42 night shelters in three months, and a total of 84 within six months. But since then only three have been established. 

Currently, there are 14 homeless shelters (for both men and women) in the city. A new shelter is being constructed on the fourth floor of the Yeshwanthpur BMTC bus stand. Apart from this, BBMP has invited several tenders for the night shelters at Begur, Jaraganahalli and Kengeri recently

While these shelters are managed by NGOs, their responsibility lies equally with the BBMP and the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), whose city-level management committee, headed by the deputy commissioner of the district, is in charge of overseeing activities.

The municipal authorities told News Trail that they are up against difficult odds. “We had sent 38 proposals for the construction of new shelters across the city to the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), which has granted in-principle approval for the same. While a majority of funding will be from NULM, the BBMP may have to chip in as well,” BBMP Special Commissioner (Welfare and Administration) K.A. Dayanand said.

“Normally we provide two-tier cots, blankets, hot water, television, one meal from an Indira canteen and caretakers who take them to hospital in case of a health emergency. During the lockdown, we supplied them with three meals a day,” he added.

According to BBMP, a third-party survey is necessary to ensure that locations of the new shelters are feasible. “There is no point in setting up shelters in locations where the number of homeless is less,” a senior official said, and added that directions in this regard have already been given to the zonal joint commissioners. However, the surveys are yet to be taken up, he claimed.

The BBMP authorities also said that they have no land for new buildings, and can’t find buildings to rent either. “When we do find land, the elected representatives already have their own plans. So now, we are trying to rent private buildings,” the BBMP official added.

NGOs filling the gaps

This year, more organisations are pressing for the establishment of night shelters. ‘Nammane Sammane’ is one such organisation started in 2020 by Nakshatra, a trans-woman from the city’s Gangondanahalli village. It provides a safe shelter for the destitute and needy.

H.T. Ramachandrappa, secretary of Impact India Consortium, a network of 40 NGOs, pointed out that along with setting up more shelters, there was a need for an all-inclusive policy on urban homeless. “Several NGOs working for the homeless across the country have together drafted the National Policy for the Urban Homeless–2021, which will soon be submitted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). A designated shelter for differently-abled people is also needed here,” he said.

A MODEL SHELTER

The night shelter being maintained at Archbishop’s House premises can be considered as a role model for the BBMP on how to maintain night shelters and treat homeless people with dignity.

The current Bengaluru Archbishop, Reverend Dr Peter Machado, was the brain behind providing night shelters for the homeless. One late evening during Christmas time in 2018 when he had just assumed office as the Archbishop, he was taken around the city for a drive.

The Archbishop was moved to see young children, women and men shivering in the biting cold. He almost instantly resolved to help the unfortunate and decided to open a place in his own campus. It was declared open on April 19, 2019. Since then around 200 men have availed this