(From left) Antony Stephen, Madras School of Social Work, Subiksha, Greater Chennai Corporation, Bhaskar, ACP, Sundari, MD, Street Vision and Ramesh, The Banyan at the Maatram 2025 Let’s celebrate together in Chennai on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN

At ‘Maatram 2025’, an event hosted by The Banyan in collaboration with the HCL Foundation on Wednesday, panelists shed light on the various issues and success stories surrounding homelessness and homeless shelters in Chennai, the gaps that still need to be bridged and what truly needs change when addressing about homelessness.

While discussing the collaboration between law enforcements and NGOs in aiding the homeless people, Assistant Commissioner of Police M.S. Bhaskar mentioned approximately 4782 destitute individuals who had passed away on the streets were laid to rest with dignity. Additionally, around 1240 people were reunited with their families after being rescued from the streets, while nearly 917 homeless individuals battling mental health issues received essential medical care. Of those, 430 individuals have successfully found their way back home.

“There are currently 49 Corporation shelters catering for men, women, the elderly, transpersons, individuals with disabilities, and hospital shelters. As we are conducting a survey on homelessness in Chennai, more shelters will be established in response to the needs we identify,” said GCC’s City level coordinator Subiksha.

This discussion brought together voices from different walks of life, all working towards one goal- not consigning the homelessness to oblivion, but to add light. Chennai-based NGO Street Vision’s Sundari, Antony Stephen of Madras School of Social Work, Newton Raj from HCL foundation provided first-hand grassroots perspectives.

Alongside discussions on policy perspectives on homelessness and mental health moderated by The Banyan’s Mrinalini Ravi, panelist Tarique Mohd, an Ashoka Fellow spoke about the often-overlooked plight of homeless women on the fringes of the city. “When we talk about women’s safety issues in general, there is no dialogue around the safety of homeless women, they are often invisible in conversations,” he pointed out.

On that note, B. Asha Latha, Additional City Health Officer of GCC mentioned how members of the public could also help vulnerable women find safety. “Every day, we conduct rescue drives, bringing people including women to our shelters. In general, public also needs to be aware of our toll-free number and stay informed about the shelter homes available,” said Ms Latha.

As the panel discussed on the need for more shelters, Indu Prakash Singh, an activist and consultant with 40 years of work in the development sector mentioned the need for more expansive services of shelters. “We need large number of services in shelters. We need to give them services because it is due to them as people of the country. More services including jobs, livelihood, education will get them empowered, so they will eventually move out of shelters into a proper housing.”