Pavement Dwellers of Kolkata: A Geographical Appraisal

Abstract

Homelessness has put forward the questions of survival and sustenance of life of a sizeable number of people in almost every country of the world. Some social thinkers view it as inevitable result of the capitalist form of society. Geographically, this issue is more critical in the populous nations of the third world, but is quite evident in the technology-rich and industrially advanced nations of the West too. Recently, homelessness has contributed havoc in the world order. Rootlessness, in most cases, is direct result of either natural or purely political phenomenon, but the failure of economic systems is not least. Market forces, job security and various other push and pull forces have been consequent upon the economic distress of a number of people making them compelled to rush to the urban centers for earning to support their life, though without any secured job or shelter.

The present study is an attempt to investigate into the causes of pavement dwelling of a sizeable number of people in parts of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area and to present a concise description about their socio-economic lifestyle. The study critically discusses the phenomenon with the help of available secondary data as well as primary data gathered from interview and field observation. The study reveals that migration, poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing facilities etc. are some instrumental forces behind the phenomenon of homelessness. A detailed study about the demographic, educational and economic condition of the pavement dwellers exhibits the harsh reality of their every day’s life.