Housing the homeless

The project was envisaged on an empty Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plot opposite Mumba Devi Temple in Kalbadevi.

The proposal won the trophy at the 55th annual National Association of Students of Architecture Convention in January. There were 115 colleges from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries participating.

The project links the shelter with livelihood of occupants. Under the model,a commercial street has been planned through different blocks of the shelter to break down stigma associated with such shelters.

“Under our naka system,the daily wage workers can register themselves permanently for shelters created nearby,” said Aditi Nair (21),a final-year student.

Unable to find such a model in Mumbai,the team went to Delhi. “The Commonwealth Games 2010 had propelled the Delhi government to create 64 night shelters to clean its streets of migrants. We decided to go and study these shelters for our project,” said Omkar Nandlaskar (21),a fourth-year student and head coordinator for HUDCO unit.

Interacting with people at 25 different shelters in Delhi made them realise the poor planning by government officials. In Mumbai,the group surveyed the homeless population. From railway stations to religious places,from commercial spaces to hospitals,the team made site visits from 10 pm to 4 am for several weeks last year.

“We decided to concentrate only on migrants since they contribute to the city and do not have any permanent accomodation. Unlike shelters in Delhi,which are created at the periphery of the city,we decided to accommodate migrants here within their area of work to reduce cost of living,” said Nair.

Sharing their experience of roaming across Mumbai at odd hours,Nandlaskar says,“Our parents were worried when we told them we would survey the migrant population at night.”

The group,comprising of eight boys and 17 girls,was even questioned by patrolling police for venturing out so late in the night. “Sometimes,even migrants complained to the patrolling police that we were taking their pictures,” said Nandlaskar.

The estimated cost of the model is Rs 63 lakh. The proposal says the cost can be recovered within four years through an annual earning of Rs 17 lakh. According to Karan Daisaria (21) a fourth year student,commercial hoardings and sale of fertiliser from composting garbage are two ways of sustaining the shelter financially.

“We are unsure if our project will translate into reality soon. But it is our learning of the homeless in the city that has transformed us individually,” added Nair.