There are barely a dozen earning members among the residents, but food, clothes, and other necessity goods are shared across the colony
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Handicapped Colony' in Mira Road, which houses around 50 people, has turned into a shelter for the homeless from across the country.
One of the most famous addresses in the burgeoning Mira Road is Viklang Colony, or the colony of the handicapped, which is basically a cluster of shanties abutting a busy junction.
Home to around 50 mentally/physically challenged people, the colony could be described as one of the fastest growing in the area, but there are no greedy builders or land sharks 'overseeing the expansion'.
The residents, all of whom have been abandoned by their families, welcome every single such person from all over the country, who then become part of the family, and is looked after irrespective of his financial condition.
There are barely a dozen earning members among the residents, but food, clothes, and other necessity goods are shared across the colony. "No-one goes to bed hungry" is the motto, and the residents ensure it is always adhered to.
Happiness, at last
In one of the shanties reside Suvarna Premlal and her husband. Latur resident Suvarna, who is inflicted with polio, and her son, had nowhere to go after her first husband abandoned her. The residents found her begging in the streets of Mira Road, and brought her 'home'.
"My son, who is 17, goes to a private school and my husband earns enough as a masseur to provide us a good life. Coming to this colony was the greatest thing to have happened to me and my son," Suvarna grinned.
How it all began
The colony's founder, Imran Mulla, and his wife were forced to leave their house in 2005, after his brothers felt he was a liability. Mulla lost his legs to polio, and walks with the support of his hands.
"My wife was pregnant then, but we just couldn't take the insults any more and walked out with a bag stuffed with clothes. After living in the streets, I found this deserted spot, and set up a shanty. Eventually, others came along and today, we are a big, happy family of more than 50," Mulla said.
The shanties have come up on the plot that belongs to the Collectorate, but its inhabitants have many a problem to tackle. For instance, sewage water routinely floods their huts, especially in during the rains, but there's always a way out.
"People shift to the huts that are least affected by water," laughed Mulla, "It is a simple solution, isn't it?"
Dashrath Chauhan, 28, arrived at the colony a few years ago from Lucknow, where his family said they couldn't afford to keep him any longer. He suffers from a disorder that doesn't allow him to walk or even sit for too long. "I beg through the day and make enough money to support others. I wanted to contribute to the family. How can I not, after what they have done for me?" he said.
Let down by govt
It's been eight years since the colony came into existence, but no effort has been made to monitor the living conditions here. It is just a piece of plastic sheet that separated the shanties from the drains, and every spell of heavy rain leads to the entire slum getting flooded, as the colony doesn't have drainage facilities.
Ironically, the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation has a yearly budget of Rs 1 crore to help such individuals. Records reveal that in the past three years, funds meant for setting up of self-help groups for the challenged have been pilfered to buy vehicles and electronic items.
Suresh Kakani, commissioner, Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, said he was committed to provide amenities to the Viklang Colony residents.
"Orders have already been issued to set up mobile toilets. I will instruct our counsellors to plan out vocational training to make the residents self-reliant," he said.
Source : Mumbai Mirror , 29th June 2013
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