At 12.40 am on 26 December, a small crowd started gathering around a goods vehicle, near KR Market in the heart of the city. Four men were distributing blankets. The temperature was 16 degrees Celsius.
Under the Mysuru Road flyover, many people had taken shelter under blankets or sacks to protect themselves from the biting cold. A beat police officer posted there said that two homeless people have died under the flyover in just four days.
More than 15 homeless people who were sleeping on the streets have died in the last 40 days in the city, Bengaluru City Police data showed, all of which were recorded as unnatural death reports (UDRs). Areas with police stations, major transport hubs, hospitals and markets like Malleshwaram and City Market have recorded four deaths each.
Although there are housing schemes in the state, there is nothing specifically for homeless people who do not have or have lost documents like Aadhaar cards. , Photo Credit: Alan Agenews J
Although there is no direct link, Bengaluru Police say such deaths generally increase during winters, and this year there have been more deaths possibly due to the drop in temperatures. Notably, according to the India Meteorological Department, Bengaluru recorded temperatures as low as 13 degrees Celsius in December.
Joint Commissioner of Police (West) C. Vamsi Krishna said The Hindu According to the number of registered UDRs, such deaths occur in winter as well as extreme heat conditions. “Deaths may not be directly related to the weather, but it can worsen existing health conditions, leading to deaths. These homeless people mostly do not have access to warm clothing and other safety gear,” he said.
Arvind Kasturi, professor in the department of community health at St John’s Medical College, said the drop in temperature in Bengaluru is unlikely to cause death due to hypothermia, but it could aggravate underlying health conditions and lead to serious conditions.
“In Bengaluru, falling temperatures, combined with common factors like poor air quality and low-quality food and water consumption, could prove fatal for people with health issues,” he said.
However, many NGOs have partnered with individual donors this winter to distribute blankets, food packets and other health essentials. In areas like Yeshwantpur and Vidyaranyapura in North Bengaluru, some police officials and civil defense personnel have also contributed by providing winter essentials and food to the homeless.
Many NGOs have partnered with individual donors to distribute blankets, food packets and other health essentials this winter. Photo Credit: Alan Agenews J
Under a central scheme, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM), civic bodies are required to create infrastructure and enroll homeless people. However, the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the newly formed corporations have done little.
Although shelter homes conduct bi-weekly surveys of homeless people to increase enrolment, NGOs running these homes say there is little support from civic bodies, pointing to scarce funding allocation. On the other hand, many homeless people are reluctant to join shelter homes, thanks to social activist R. Kalimullah conveys the underlying “fear” and the feeling of being in an “open prison”. He also pointed to the existence of “social divisions” within shelter homes.
Although there are housing schemes in the state, there is nothing specifically for homeless people who do not have or have lost documents like Aadhaar cards, leaving something to be lacking in the central scheme.
Battling the weather, the smell, the stray dogs
When? The Hindu Traveled across the city to review the conditions of homeless people and how they were coping with the falling temperatures, most had sought shelter under flyovers, near religious institutions, transport hubs, hospitals and, alarmingly, under old trees.
Hundreds of people have taken shelter under the flyover near KR Market. However, the place itself is not habitable. Many people sleep in corners of bus stops where the smell emanates, often with leftover food lying around them.
“They don’t move from here, and many have been living here for years as they work in the market in the morning and sleep under the flyover at night. Many give them daily essentials, some just to make videos of themselves giving, but it still helps the poor,” said Mohammad Shafeeq, an autorickshaw driver.
Homeless people who are constantly exposed to harsh weather also face mental health challenges. , Photo Credit: Alan Agenews J
A police beat officer said that sometimes fights break out under the influence of alcohol. Many people fight over “their sleeping place” and even over blankets.
Meanwhile, a group arrived in a goods autorickshaw to distribute blankets, causing many men and women to rush towards it. Mohammed Irfan, a mechanic and president of Al Qaswa Feed and Care Foundation, said they distribute basic goods to people in central and south Bengaluru to help them cope with the cold. “We don’t raise money. We raise a portion of our salaries and buy these essential things for the homeless,” he said.
Bala said he earns ₹100 to ₹200 a day by helping traders in the market carry vegetable bags, which he spends on food. Bala, originally from Mandya, said, “On lucky days, some traders pay ₹50 instead of ₹20. I save it for liquor. I sleep here. I don’t go anywhere.”
As the night progressed, some more people had taken shelter by sleeping on the ground near the bus stop, near Vani Vilas Hospital. “The benches get cold at night, so we sleep on the footpath,” said a man from West Bengal who declined to be named. When asked why he did not join the asylum, he replied, “People tell us to go there, but I don’t want to go because I am free here. People who went there told me that the prisoners fight unnecessarily.”
Mohan (name changed), manager of a shelter home run by an NGO that runs four other such centers across the city, said people who have been separated from families or have run away from home usually join shelters on their own. “Very rarely do we see homeless people like rag-picking or begging joining shelters,” he said.
Human rights activist T. Narasimhamurthy said he had encountered homeless women who feared being forced into prostitution. “They are often traumatized and abused on the streets, yet they feel safer in open spaces than in shelters,” he said.
Around Adugodi, Nimhans, Koramangala, Madiwala and HSR Layout, homeless persons were found sleeping mostly alone rather than in groups. Stray dogs pose a major threat to those sleeping alone.
NGOs running shelter homes said that although the ground reality remains unchanged, the BBMP and the new corporations have limited themselves to inspections and reprimanding managers.
Only 48 shelter places instead of 120
Under the NULM policy, the civic body is responsible for ensuring basic infrastructure such as water supply, sanitation, safety and security for the homeless. This reporter visited four shelter homes, most of which lacked basic amenities like adequate lighting, proper bedding, water and sanitation.
The policy states that except in exceptional situations, each shelter provides food to 50 or more people, yet hardly any shelter has more than 40 beds. As per policy requirements, there should be at least 120 shelters in Bengaluru. Currently, there are only 48 shelters: North City Corporation (12), South City Corporation (7), Central City Corporation (16), East City Corporation (6), and West City Corporation (7).
The scheme mandates four types of shelters – for men, women, families, and special shelters for mentally handicapped, physically handicapped and recovering patients. There is no special shelter in Bengaluru.
The policy also mandates systematic third-party surveys to assess shelter needs at appropriate locations. Although surveys are conducted, there has been no expansion of shelter homes, nor has any strategic plan been made beyond 2023. For example, the shelters in Yeshwanthpur are always full and need more shelter homes, yet there are only two shelter homes in the area. In contrast, Mahadevapura and surrounding areas have more than six shelters, with occupancy rarely exceeding 50%.
A GBA official said The Hindu The health department has agreed to provide space in some hospitals to set up shelters, and some new homes have been commissioned and are expected to be operational soon. “A foundation called Alaadamara has expressed interest in setting up a special shelter home and the file has been forwarded,” the official said.
The mandate of the scheme goes beyond the construction of shelters, as it entails ensuring that no one is deprived of a safe and secure roof. Agencies running shelters are responsible for identifying homeless individuals and motivating them to move into shelters. Despite this, the third-party survey for 2023–24 identified 1,329 homeless people. The agencies say they conduct surveys twice a week, but many homeless people resist relocation and sometimes become violent during attempts to convince them.
Narasimhamurthy said the civic body should find alternative solutions in such cases. “They barely consult workers or social workers to brainstorm ideas or implement plans effectively. There is general negligence,” he said.
Challenges in running a shelter home
A shelter home manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “In many centres, beds have not been changed for three to four years. Pest control is needed to eliminate bedbugs, but we have not received funds even for small works, surveys or logistics for health camps.”
He further said that funds including salaries of staff have not been sanctioned for many shelter homes for the last two years. Local residents also have some issues opposing the shelter homes.
An official of the GBA welfare wing admitted that funds were not released to some shelters. “These shelters needed new work orders after their contracts expired, but they continued to operate without them, so the bills went unpaid,” he said. Asked about the lack of follow-up, the official admitted to delays from former zonal offices as well.
Insecurity, mental health and solutions
Central Division DCP Akshay Hake Machindra said homeless people are highly vulnerable to crimes like theft and robbery and sometimes become accused unknowingly.
Homeless people who are constantly exposed to harsh weather also face mental health challenges. “Extreme weather events can exacerbate psychological distress, especially in people with pre-existing anxiety, depression or trauma-related disorders. People with poor coping mechanisms are particularly affected,” said Suresh Bada Math, professor of psychiatry at NIMHANS.
Although these concerns are serious, the solution lies in civic bodies taking more interest in their welfare wings and empowering them. Narasimhamurthy emphasized that human rights commissions exist to address such issues and should focus on poor plan implementation and ensure accountability.
“Women often suffer trauma and abuse on the streets, yet they feel safer in open spaces than in shelters”T. Narasimhamurthyhuman rights activist
“Very rarely do we see homeless people like ragpickers or begging joining shelters.”Mohan (name changed), manager of a shelter home
