Many displaced by urban projects in New Delhi

The urban projects are causing problems for thousands of people in the Indian capital New Delhi. Prakash Paswan says he has been living in this place for the last 35 years amid the rubble of bulldozers and constant demolition drives by the railways. He says Delhi development has cost them their shelters and there seems to be no future for the poor in the city of the rich.
In recent years these people have been protesting the government’s policies but the administration is yet to work out a plan for the rehabilitation of these destitute people who have been rendered homeless due to railways and metro projects. Along with prakash hundreds of families are living beneath a metro flyover in the outskirts of delhi after their homes were razed by the railways in December last year. Year has passed on, but the memories and the wounds are still fresh; one of the residents of these dwellings tells me. Most of these impoverished people are doing menial jobs for living; like daily waging, street vending, begging and even rikshaw pulling. Some of them are poor farmers who have left homes due to drought, floods and other such disasters. Many residents have a voter id and land possession documents while others are living illegally. They migrated to New Delhi in search of better jobs. Experts say government policies are against the poor. After forced eviction from the neighborhood which was demolished to make way for railways, Gyan Chand tells me that they have no constant water supply, no legal electricity and no toilets. Children face acute health problems especially during this harsh winter, he says, and we cast votes during elections after politicians make false promises but no one is really thinking about us.