This colony was built 25-30 years ago as a transit camp and became permanent over time through the illegal practice of the developer renting units to new residents. The colony hosts people from many parts of the city: some come of their own accord to seek month-to-month rentals and others are relocated here from other slum redevelopment projects temporarily while their new unit is under construction. The property has transit camp buildings from at least three different time periods. The area behind the colony buildings (furthest from the street) has mostly been demolished, but was previously a transit camp that had been bought by developers and thus legitimately became a permanent development. The deteriorating conditions of the buildings and poor access to clean water are major problems in the colony.
- The area is centrally located near transportation (highway, rail) and large new developments of office and commercial towers, though residents said they do not have job opportunities in them.
- A newer (but not new) high-rise precast concrete transit camp building also sits on the property. We didn’t get to check it out because we got harassed by the police.
- Typical units consist of a small main room (approx. 200 sf) with one window, washing area, cook-top, small W/C in corner, and small loft for storage or sleeping above, though residents sleep in the hallways for fear of falling concrete from disintegrating ceilings.
The Bharat Nagar Resettlement Colony was originally built as a temporary transit camp. Some residents are relocated here temporarily, whereas others lease month to month. No commercial spaces are located in the ground floor of these buildings. Instead, goods are sold from carts or brought around on motorcycles. The community is centrally located in an area that has recently experienced a wave of development. Residents say the water tank serving the colony has never been cleaned, and the first 15 of the 30 minutes of water they receive per day is polluted and must be drained off before they can collect it. The concrete ceilings of the units are crumbling, so residents sleep in the hallways.
Photos: Kate Cahill