Demography, Migration and Economic Status of Pavement Dwellers - A Study of Most Marginalized Urban Poor in Central Business Areas of Kolkata, West Bengal

Homelessness is a result of the failure of the housing supply system to address the needs of the rapidly growing urban population. This disadvantaged segment of the population largely goes unnoticed. India has more than twenty million homeless people. Some of these people have migrated from their village homes. Many have lost their lands, homes and livelihoods in the villages to floods, other natural calamities and also due to political causes. Thousands of homeless, street dwellers live day after day on the pavements of Kolkata. This paper focuses on pavement dwellers of Kolkata with special reference to demography, migration scenario and economic conditions.