How Ahmedabad Travels
FEMALE CONSTRUCTION LABOURER
TRAVEL DIARY
Gauri is a 35 years old construction labourer in the city of Ahmedabad. She is a migrant from Rajasthan and has been living in the city for over 10 years. Her family comprises of her 40 years old husband, Ramesh, 11 year old daughter, Nisha, and a grown son who lives in Rajasthan. She is from the Marwari community and does not speak much Hindi, just Marwari and Gujarati.
- Lakshmi & Vivek
TRIP DISTANCE
TRAVEL TIME
MODE
COST
TRIP 1
1.5 km
20 min
Walk
-
TRIP 2
4.5 km
15 min
Shared Auto
Rs.20
TRIP 3
6 km
20 min
Shared Auto
Rs.20
Paid by Contractor
TYPICAL WORK DAY 11th Nov, 2017
11 AM
7:50 AM
7:30 AM
Home to Labour Chowk
Wait for work
Labour Chowk to Work
Daily Wage Work
8:20 PM Work to Home TRIP 3
TRIP 2
TRIP 1
Home, Rajveer Society
8 PM
11:15 AM
Labour Chowk, Thakkarbapa Nagar
LABOUR CHOWK at THAKKARBAPA NAGAR
Labour Chowk, Thakkarbapa Nagar
Construction Site, Ring Road
It commences at 8AM. Till 11AM the roads, especially the service lanes are occupied by pedestrians and parked vehicles. There is much criss-cross movement across the main road in spite of increasing vehicular traffic.
Construction Site, Ring Road
Home, Rajveer Society
Every morning at around Gauri walks to Labour Chowk along with her daughter and husband. She considers it a safe and convenient walk as it is still early in the morning and there is little traffic on the roads.
7:30 AM
TRAVEL RADIUS of 5km TRIP 1: HOME to CHOWK TRIP 2: CHOWK to WORK (11th Nov, 2017)
GAURI’S AREA OF TRAVEL WITHIN AHMEDABAD
CONGREGATION PATTERN AT LABOUR CHOWK, 7:30AM – 11AM
Labour Chowk is a daily event that takes place early in the morning. It is a common phenomenon across India. Daily wage labourers come here looking for work on a contract or daily basis. Contractors and employers come here to hire workers from among the assembled. At the Thakkarbapa Nagar Cross Roads daily wage labourers start to congregate at about 7AM everyday. By 8AM the area achieves peak activity. Contractors pick labourers of their choice, both skilled and unskilled. The pattern of congregation at the chowk shows: • The spaces occupied by men and women • How men take up the more active areas in search for jobs • How women settle on the peripheries (near closed shop fronts and footpaths) waiting for their male counterparts to return with opportunities The congregation disintegrates around 10AM. But some hopefuls, like Gauri’s family, hang around till mid-noon waiting for a job.
8AM – 11AM Women congregate on the peripheries of active zones, near idle shop fronts, on steps and footpaths. •
Kiosk serving Rs.10 meals to workers as a part of the ‘Shramik Annapurna Yojna’.
•
Labourers with UWIN ‘Unrecognised Workers Identification Number’ Cards can avail this benefit.
Will we find work today…
They huddle together with other women while waiting. Women do not approach the contractors themselves.
SECTION depicting the service lane during Labour Chowk
GAURI & NISHA during Labour Chowk
11th Nov, 2017 Gauri calls herself “labour” which refers to unskilled labour, while “kaarigar” refers to skilled labour. She does plastering of constructed surfaces.
During work in a construction site.
Gauri only goes to work if the contractor offers both her husband and herself work. However, Ramesh takes up individual work as well. On this particular day both Gauri and Ramesh were paid Rs.500 for the day’s job. Usual pay ranges from Rs.300 to Rs.750
11AM – 11:15AM
Towards work, during the day.
11:15AM – 8PM
Gauri and Nisha find it uncomfortable to travel in shared autos given the congestion. In a vehicle meant for three passengers, six to seven people are made to travel. This mode of travel is however considered safe . As the contractor pays for travel to and from construction site, it is in his interest to transport as many workers as possible in one auto. The family does not prefer travelling in buses as it is time consuming. Moreover, once hired construction workers take the transport provided by the employers.
Nisha has not been going to school for a few years and does not intend to. She accompanies her mother everywhere, even to work, where she occupies herself in ways so as not to get in her parents’ ways.
Gauri packs lunch for the family everyday. Along with the packed lunch, she carries her bag of plastering tools to and from the construction site.
8PM – 8:20PM
Towards home after work, in the night.
TYPICAL DAY WHEN NO WORK IS FOUND
12 :30 PM
7:45 AM
7:30 AM
Home to Labour Chowk
Wait for work
Labour Chowk to Home TRIP 2
TRIP 1
Home, Rajveer Society
1:00 PM
Home, R Rajveer Society
Labour Chowk, Thakkarbapa Nagar
Labour Chowk, Thakkarbapa Nagar
TRIP DISTANCE
TRAVEL TIME
MODE
COST
TRIP 1
1.5 km
20 min
Walk
-
TRIP 2
1.5 km
30 min
Leisure Walk
-
GROUND FLOOR EDGE CONDITIONS
The trip to work takes lesser time because of lesser traffic and stronger purpose or intent to reach Labour Chowk in time before contractors arrive. However, streets at this time of the day are inactive.
The edge conditions along the routes that Gauri takes to and from work suggests safe pedestrian experience. The commercial nature of the streets provides with the much necessary “eyes on the street�.
On certain days when no work is found Gauri & Nisha (sometimes even Ramesh) return home at noon. This trip takes more of a leisurely nature and they usually shop for groceries and other necessities along the way. (Note: This all the leisure trip the family gives themselves. When free they prefer relaxing at home and gossiping with neighbours.)
The alternative paths available also increase the opportunity to access varied goods and services.
This is convenient as they do not have to make a trip dedicated to this purpose. By the time they return from Labour Chowk, street vendors and shops turn the path into a loud experience.
12:45PM Shopping on the way back home.
The Lilanagar Road is more residential in nature than the main roads. It also sees lesser vehicular traffic than the others. Thus, although there is no defined and clear footpath, it is easier for pedestrians to negotiate this road. During the night however, more public roads become preferable.
SECTION ACROSS LILANAGAR ROAD
TRAVEL DIARY
TRANSGENDER
How Ahmedabad Travels - Lakshmi & Vivek
I am Zoya Dey Kamin Dey Pavayya, a 33 year old Kinnar from Hijga near Prem Darwaja in Ahmedabad. I was born and brought up in this very place. I earn my bread soliciting on trains.
I left school after completing class 7 and left for soliciting with other ‘kinnars’. Since 10 years I am living again with my family and also the primary bread winner. I do not have any kind of documentation and also do not have a bank account. I am very much scared that the Transgender Bill if passed will criminalize begging and hence deprive me of my income.
I own a scooty and sometimes use it to go out too. My daily fuel expenses on it would be around 100 rupees I do not feel safe to go out at night and go out with a male accomplice. I never take buses to commute.
I rarely go out during my leisure. I prefer watching TV. Sometimes I go to ‘Sabarmati Riverfront’ with my ‘chele’(squad) to solicit. I work from around 9 am to 5 pm and my schedule remains unchanged on weekends. I usually walk to Kalupur Railway Station which is 2 kms away and then take a train. We go till Viramgaam and if we hadn’t made enough for the day, we would continue till Surendranagar. I have been plying on this route since 10 years.
....And sometimes when we have to go as a group, we hire an auto at 300 rupees a day.
ASPIRATION: I want to be treated as an equal human and to continue supporting my family. I hope no laws would be charted to hinder my occupation. I also wish to have proper documentation and a bank account.