Visakhapatnam: Homelessness pushes them on to roads

Visakhapatnam: Their voices often muzzled. Their dreams shattered. They wage a lone battle as their near and dear ones left them for good.

In a smart city like Visakhapatnam, thousands of homeless people consider a part of the footpaths and flyovers as their shelters.

The 'World Homeless Day' observed on October 10 aims at drawing the attention of those who experience homelessness and providing opportunities for the community.

In Visakhapatnam, about 4,000 homeless persons consider footpaths and a part of the flyovers as their shelters. There are close to eight shelter homes provided by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and over 300 persons are availing the facility that comes along with three meals a day to them.

In addition to the shelter homes run by the GVMC, several private players and NGOs also operate shelter homes in and around Visakhapatnam. However, those availing such homes are comparatively less than the ones operated by the corporation.

According to the recent survey, more than 4,000 persons are using a part of the footpaths, flyovers, railway station surroundings, bus shelters, signal points, parks, closed shops, petrol bunks road dividers and beach road as their shelter. Many of them are engaged in begging, selling pens and other products at traffic signals and also work as helpers and daily wage earners.

"In Kerala, there are shelter homes for migrant workers. Such shelter homes will come to the aid of many homeless people living in Visakhapatnam. In Hanumantawaka alone, there are more than 300 homeless migrants. Such places are apt to establish shelter homes," opines Pragada Vasu, secretary of the Association for Urban and Tribal Development.

Currently, Loyola old-age home run by an NGO has close to 120 inmates. A majority of them suffer from chronic illnesses. "Good Samaritans should come forward to adopt the homeless people. There should be a collective effort to reach out to the abandoned persons and extend support as the service should not be limited to a few shelter homes," says D Prakash Rao, founder of Srimani Prakash Charitable Welfare Society, that operates the old-age home.

According to liaison manager of HelpAge India L Mrinal, the organisation's helpline received 2,808 calls from AP and TS between April and September, seeking assistance. "The enquiries included rescue interventions, disputes settlement and counselling. Very recently, we have rescued 13 abandoned elders from Guntur, Eluru and Hyderabad. Most of them were aged women. Their children abandoned them as soon as they fell sick. In times of the pandemic, even old-age homes find it challenging to enroll new admissions," says Mrinal.