Nomadic Communities in Delhi: Invisible and Excluded

Social Issues Social Inequalities and exclusion

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-05-12 09:00:06 |

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Tucked behind railway tracks, under flyovers, or in the shadow of Delhi’s booming high-rises live the city’s nomadic communities — groups historically on the move, now forcibly settled but still excluded. From the Gadia Lohars, traditional blacksmiths, to the Nat and Banjara tribes known for their itinerant trades, these communities live in makeshift camps, often without legal identity, secure housing, or access to basic public services.

Despite generations of living in the city, they remain stateless in their own country — uncounted in urban planning, ignored in welfare schemes, and stigmatized by society.

The Struggle for Recognition

Nomadic tribes have historically been labeled with suspicion, especially after being designated as “criminal tribes” under colonial laws — a stigma that persists in administrative bias and public perception. In Delhi, their settlements are routinely demolished during “beautification drives,” especially near development zones or tourist corridors.

“We’re treated like encroachers,” says Kallu Singh, a 45-year-old from a Lohar community in Sarai Kale Khan. “We have voter ID, we’ve voted here for years, but the police still chase us away like animals.”

With no proof of residence, they are denied ration cards, health benefits, and school enrollment for children. The lack of Aadhaar or legal address further deepens their invisibility in welfare databases.

Living Conditions: Harsh and Precarious

Nomadic families often live in plastic tents, enduring extreme weather without electricity, toilets, or clean drinking water. Monsoon rains flood their homes. Winters bring illness. Summers, like the 2025 heatwave, make survival itself a challenge.

Women and children are most affected — with high rates of malnutrition, illiteracy, and infant mortality. Open defecation, early marriage, and lack of healthcare compound their vulnerabilities.

“We don’t go to hospitals. They ask for documents we don’t have,” says Reshma, a 22-year-old mother of two living near Yamuna Pushta.

Children Left Behind

For many children from nomadic communities, school is a distant dream. Constant displacement, stigma from teachers and peers, and the demand for children to support family trades prevent consistent education. Those who do enroll often drop out due to harassment or non-inclusive curricula.

Mobile education programs by a few NGOs offer hope, but coverage is sporadic and underfunded.

Excluded from Delhi’s Development

As Delhi expands, nomadic communities are often pushed out of view. Their livelihoods — once integral to local economies (like sharpening tools, performing street arts, or trading goods) — are now seen as nuisance or obsolete. With few opportunities and no job security, many are forced into rag-picking or informal labor.

“They don’t want us in the city, but we build it,” says Sita Bai, who has worked as a construction laborer for over a decade.

Policy Gaps and Missed Promises

Despite the Renke Commission (2008) and ICHR recommendations, which called for the identification and rehabilitation of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), little has changed on the ground. Delhi lacks a dedicated policy or even baseline data on nomadic residents.

Inclusion in schemes like PM Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, or Right to Education remains largely aspirational due to documentation barriers.

What Needs to Be Done

Experts and activists call for:

Recognition and mapping of nomadic groups in Delhi

Portable ID and ration systems

In-situ slum upgrading instead of evictions

Community-run schools with flexible timing and vocational support

Social awareness campaigns to reduce stigma

Mobile clinics, skill training programs, and a policy for urban nomads could bridge the gap between their heritage and the modern city.

The Right to Belong

Nomadic communities are as much a part of Delhi’s soul as its monuments and malls. Yet, their exclusion reflects a deeper failure of our urban vision — one that favors concrete over compassion. Recognizing their rights isn’t charity; it’s justice. Until Delhi learns to include its most invisible residents, its progress remains incomplete.

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