A slum settlement in South Delhi draped for the BRICS summit

The blue and white cover around the Coolie camp is seen in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

With the BRICS summit underway in Delhi, a slum located along Nelson Mandela Marg and Munirka Marg in south Delhi’s Vasant Vihar has been covered with white and purple banners. The banners were erected on Thursday evening (September 10, 2026), two days before the summit, to “hide the slums” from foreign dignitaries visiting Delhi during the summit, residents said.

The settlement, known as “Coolie Camp”, is home to about 281 households, according to 2012 data from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). Located a few kilometers away from DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj, it is surrounded by markets, parks and government houses. The entire stretch along Nelson Mandela Marg and Munirka Marg was covered with 10-feet high curtains, with entry and exit restricted to two points, leading to problems for them, residents said.

“This is not the first time this area has been covered like this. Even earlier, in 2023, when the G20 summit was held, the basti (slum) was covered with huge green curtains,” said Manoj, a shopkeeper and resident of the area.

While the sanitation and beautification of the national capital is in full swing, the settlement housing the hygienists has been shrouded.

“Just as we cover the garbage, they must have considered us as garbage,” said Manisha, a resident.

Residents have expressed outrage at government action in covering slum settlements rather than investing in social programs that lift communities out of poverty. “If the government has a problem with poverty, why is nothing being done to eradicate it?” Golu, a sanitation worker, said.

‘Coolie Camp’ consists of compact multi-storied huts, two feet wide lanes, open drains and communal water taps and washrooms. Curtains have covered the settlement and the roads have been cleared, but right in front of the wall there is still an overflowing garbage can with garbage strewn around it.

“Ever since these curtains have been lifted, we have been facing difficulties in bringing our carts and vehicles,” Mr. Manoj said. “We are not taking out our carts as we fear that they might be seized by the police and MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) officials. Because of this, the revenue has gone down in the last three days,” he said.

The area is home to dozens of tenants who pay at least ₹3,000-4,000 per month as rent. “Anyway, our earnings are less. With limited movement and income, we also have to be careful about our expenses,” said Shivani, a domestic worker.

“Why do politicians come to us during elections and ask for votes with folded hands when they think of us – people who need to be hidden so that their pride is not hurt? What happened to the ‘jahan jhuggi wahin makaan’ (slum rehabilitation programme)?” Said Reena, the sanitation worker.

“Despite having lived here for generations, we are not considered residents. I have no Aadhaar card, no voter ID, no other document to establish myself as a resident of Delhi. Where will I go tomorrow if the government decides to demolish the slum?” said Mrs. Reena.

Published – 12 Sep 2026 22:20 IST