NEW DELHI: Mayur flyover, known for its graffiti created during the G20 summit, now serves as a shelter for residents of Mayur Vihar Khadar. The graffiti, featuring Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, APJ Abdul Kalam, and various folk artistes, symbolize the sadness experienced by Khadar residents.During the annual monsoon flooding, the Yamuna River overtakes Delhi’s low-lying areas, including slums and makeshift settlements on the river’s floodplains near Mayur Vihar.
When the river’s water level breaches the danger mark, residents are forced to evacuate their homes, leaving their belongings submerged.Hariprasad and Ramdev, friends who have lived in Khadar for over 25 years, endure the floods each year. Ramdev, often too busy to shave Hariprasad’s beard, stated, “Flood is a daily routine for us, this flyover is a big shelter for us to save from rain.”
Residents Vipin and Meena highlighted the lack of assistance, saying, “We have a 7-month-old son, no govt, no civic agencies came to us, we make our own food, and wash clothes with Yamuna water.”Under the flyover in Delhi, the graffiti of freedom fighters and cultural icons starkly contrast with the struggles of Mayur Vihar Khadar residents.
