“Ek Akela Is Shehar Mein/ Raat Mein Aur Dopahar Mein/ Aabodaana Dhoondta Hai /Aashiyana Dhoondta Hai” (A single, solitary man seeks day and night for his fortune and a shelter in this city). These lines — sung in the rich, deep voice of Bhupinder for the soundtrack of the movie Gharonda (1977) and mouthed by Amol Palekar wearing a haggard, defeated look on screen — resonate among many youngsters in Mumbai even today, as they look for a sanctuary in the city, a space they can call home. Mumbai, with its charm and promises of a better future, draws people from…

Makeshift homes made with mosquito nets, broken chairs, and tables and groups of families making and selling beaded ornaments under Chennai’s longest flyover. This may be a familiar sight for commuters travelling along Velachery, Madipakkam and Sholinganallur. Ever wondered who are these people and why they live on the streets?  The Narikurava tribal community living under the Medavakkam flyover in Chennai faces daily struggles that often go unnoticed. The 2.3-km unidirectional flyover, inaugurated in May 2022, facilitates faster travel from Tambaram to Velachery and is a boon for commuters. But families living under the overpass have many concerns. They face…