Struggling for basic needs! Delhi Slum Residents demands Better Housing & Sanitation

Slum residents in Delhi live with unwavering faith for the day when permanent housing, safe drinking water, clean streets, and adequate sanitation will no longer seem like far-fetched ideals.

The residents of the slums are optimistic that the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections will sufficiently address their concerns.

Election results for the Delhi Assembly will be announced on February 8 after voting begins on February 5.

Kusumpur Pahari resident Narendra, 60, came to Delhi from Bihar 40 years ago to provide a better life for his family. He still struggles with the most basic needs, nevertheless, decades later.

"We stand in long queues for hours just to get a bucket of water, but even that water is not safe to drink," the slum residents voiced out their frustration on demand for basic needs.

Narendra, a former scrap dealer, described how the COVID pandemic completely stopped him from making a living. He now clings to the hope that the government would recognize their predicament and implement change by constructing enough sewers and water pipelines, as he lacks the finances to relocate.

The lack of water is our biggest challenge, whenever a water tanker arrives, there are constant fights over whose bucket gets filled first. The area is so dirty that living here feels unbearable, but we have no choice," Narendra said

Another Kusumpur Pahari resident, Pinky Kapilo, finds the scenario all too familiar. She migrated from Haryana to the slum when she was five years old and works as a housekeeper. She now has a kid who is three years old, and she has not seen much progress over the years.

Residents of Sangam Vihar, where there are still insufficient basic services, face a similar challenge.

These slum dwellers fight daily for access to fundamental human needs including safety, cleanliness, and water. They continue to await guarantees.

Water, cleanliness, and safety are basic human necessities that these slum people struggle to obtain every day. In the hopes of a better tomorrow, they keep waiting for promises to be fulfilled.