Several infrastructure projects have been launched or inaugurated in Mumbai over the last five years, in the backdrop of huge political upheavals in Maharashtra with unexpected alliances, fractured coalitions, and the overthrow of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti. Celebrated as an engineering feat, the Mumbai Coastal Road, named Dharmveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road, was inaugurated by chief minister Eknath Shinde with deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on 11th March. This is amongst the major infrastructure projects that have been completed in the past five years and being counted as one…

Chennai has approximately 8,331 homeless individuals concentrated in hotspot areas and along major roads across 15 zones. Notably, 69% of this population consists of families who have lived on the streets for generations. Despite this high number, a recent study by the Information and Research Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) reveals that the city doesn't have a single shelter for families. In January 2023, Citizen Matters visited five GCC homeless shelters in Chennai to identify operational gaps. These shelters cater to boys, girls, the elderly, and individuals with mental illnesses. Yet, the funding for their operation and maintenance…