Homelessness is every city's silent emergency

Urbanisation, often celebrated as the hallmark of progress, carries within it a paradox that modern societies are struggling to resolve.

- NARAYANAN KIZHUMUNDAYUR

As cities grow into centres of economic power, cultural vibrancy, and technological innovation, they simultaneously become landscapes where inequality is etched into everyday life. Amid the towering apartments, gleaming malls, and illuminated flyovers lives a population that has no roof to call its own. Urban homelessness - once viewed as a marginal issue - has now transformed into a silent emergency that shadows the march of development. It is not simply a logistical failure; it is a moral challenge that questions the very soul of our cities.

The roots of this crisis lie in the deep and persistent imbalance between the dream of urban prosperity and the reality of urban planning. Every year, millions leave their villages and small towns, drawn by the promise of jobs, education, and opportunity. But the cities they arrive in suffer from a different crisis: an acute shortage of affordable housing. While high-rise apartments multiply and real-estate prices soar beyond imagination, the poor often find no legal or safe space to live. The mismatch is stark - the engines of the urban economy depend heavily on migrant labourers, domestic workers, street vendors, construction workers, delivery personnel, and security staff, yet these very contributors cannot afford even the most basic shelter.