In a sweeping eviction drive that has sparked a humanitarian crisis, more than five hundred families have been rendered homeless after authorities demolished their makeshift shelters on land belonging to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Workmen's Mutual Aid Fund (BSWML) in north Bengaluru. The incident, which unfolded in the Yelahanka area, has left a community of daily-wage labourers and their families out in the open, grappling with an immediate shelter crisis and the looming threat of debt.
Demolition Drive Leaves Community in Despair
The demolition action was carried out on 23 December 2025, targeting sheds and temporary structures erected on the disputed BSWML land. Eyewitness accounts describe a scene of chaos and distress as bulldozers moved in, reducing homes to rubble in a matter of hours. For years, these families had occupied the land, building a fragile sense of community while working in the city's informal economy. The sudden nature of the eviction has given them little time to secure alternative arrangements or salvage their meagre possessions.
The majority of the affected residents are daily-wage workers employed in construction, domestic work, and other low-income jobs that form the backbone of Bengaluru's service sector. Their existence was already precarious, living hand-to-mouth, and this demolition has pushed them to the brink. With their shelters gone, their immediate concern is finding a roof over their heads as the year draws to a close.
A Mounting Debt Crisis for Daily-Wage Earners
Beyond the loss of shelter, a deeper financial catastrophe is unfolding. Many of the displaced families had taken out small loans from local moneylenders or microfinance institutions to manage daily expenses, medical emergencies, or to fund their children's education. With their homes destroyed and their daily work routines disrupted, they are now consumed with anxiety over how they will repay these loans.
"We took loans just to buy food and pay for basic needs. Now, with no home and our work likely to stop as we search for a place to stay, repaying that money seems impossible," shared one distraught resident, echoing the sentiment of hundreds. This debt trap threatens to perpetuate a cycle of poverty, making recovery from this eviction even more challenging.
Search for Solutions and Accountability
The incident has raised urgent questions about rehabilitation and the process followed for such large-scale evictions. While the land is legally owned by BSWML, housing rights activists and local community leaders are calling for a more humane approach that considers the welfare of the economically vulnerable. They argue for proper notice, dialogue, and the provision of alternative shelter or compensation before such actions are taken.
The location of the demolition, Yelahanka in north Bengaluru, is a rapidly developing zone where land disputes and pressures of urban expansion frequently clash with the lives of the urban poor. This event highlights the ongoing struggle for space and dignity in India's tech capital, where the gap between rapid development and inclusive growth remains stark.
As the displaced families huddle together for warmth and safety, their future remains uncertain. The demolition on 23 December 2025 is not just a story of structures being torn down; it is a stark reminder of the fragility of life for millions of informal workers in urban India, who remain one eviction away from destitution.
