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THE HOMELESS IN NEW AVADI ROAD
 There are 23 families (each family having between 5 and 10 members) living in two clusters, close to each other, on the side of the New Avadi Road. Twelve of them are Tamil speaking while 11 of the families are Telugu speaking. Both groups belong to the same community called the ‘Maniyattis’. Maniyattis nomadic Tamil speaking group married girls from Andhra Pradesh, the neighboring state, which has lead a number of Telugu speaking families.
 Though staying adjacent, they are separated by the demarcation of a bus stop. Both the groups are involved in repairing umbrellas, plastic buckets and selling wipe cloths to motorists at traffic signals and parking areas. Some women along with children resort to begging. A few of the men are rickshaw drivers who operate rented auto-rickshaws. Without any identity and address of their own, they have gained driving licenses through other settlers elsewhere in the city. This community was originally soothsayers who were involved in witchcraft and divination. During festival seasons, the girls go to Marina beach for fortune telling. Many of them look malnourished and are affected by tuberculosis. There is yet another group of about 150 people who live on the pavements, a few yards away on the same road. They are seasonal migrants from a neighboring district (Thiruvanamalai). They work on construction sites in the city for 10 months and spend the remaining time working as agricultural laborers in their native district.
PROSPECTS FOR THE HOMELESS PEOPLE
 These are displaced people on the street; they live in constant fear of harassment and eviction. They are looked down on and are without shelter to protect them. They have limited access to the most basic amenities. These communities need assistance in accessing their basic rights to identity, quality education, primary health and nutrition; also most importantly shelter at least during the nights. Children need access to child protection services.
 They are vulnerable to abuse and are neglected on the streets. Supplementary education is necessary to enable their mainstreaming into public schools. ARUWE has appointed four teachers to monitor the progress of each child. Special attention is given to the Children who need special assistance in studies.
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