BBMP West zone has highest concentration of homeless people, says report 

The West zone of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) has the highest concentration of homeless people [39.6%], according to the Bengaluru Homeless Survey Report. The East [25.4%] is second, followed by the Mahadevapura zone [10%].

The West zone of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) has the highest concentration of homeless people [39.6%], according to the Bengaluru Homeless Survey Report. The East [25.4%] is second, followed by the Mahadevapura zone [10%].

The report was released on Saturday during the second annual conference on homelessness and collaborative responses, organised by Namma Kutumba (The Bangalore Homeless Programme).

“Regions with a high number of homeless individuals are characterised by the volume and diversity of commercial activities that take place there. This includes vegetable markets, mofussil bus and train stations, and loading and unloading centres for a range of cargo,” the report said. 

The survey was a component of the Bangalore Homeless Programme (BHP), a joint initiative of the Azim Premji Foundation and the Project Smile Trust. It was conducted in 2022 and had four broad components. The surveyors had identified 551 hotspots (locations with more than three homeless persons) and data was also collected from 1,591 individuals across 50 shelter homes. 

The report also says that most hotspots were located outside shops [41.10%], footpaths or pavements [28.77%], bus stands [10.76%], and railway stations [7.44%]. While 48.95% of the respondents reported facing difficulties in procuring food, most of them said that they accessed food and water, mostly through hotels, begging, Indira Canteens, public taps, and religious institutions. 

Family conflict has been identified as the leading cause for homelessness in the report with 34% of respondents stating it as the reason, followed by migration from rural areas [27.21%], and difficulty in finding work [26.4%].

The report also highlighted that while Bengaluru had recorded 14,189 individuals classified under the urban homeless category, existing shelters could only accommodate 1,869, indicating a severe shortage of facilities.