At Rajghat, nothing changes for safai karamcharis

Their day at work began the night before. A gruelling shift that ended at 11.30 pm ensured that the roads around Rajghat were cleared of garbage before the PM arrived.

Their second shift began at 6 am and continued till the traffic police told them that “VIP movement had begun”. The safai karamcharis retreated, watching quietly, as the Prime Minister arrived amidst a flurry of cameras.

But despite government officials and politicians picking up brooms, they can’t help but point out that nothing has really changed for them. “Our salaries are still low. Most of us are on a contract. We rarely get our money on time and we never get pay slips. Delhi might become clean but we will remain poor,” said Ram Pal Singh, a sweeper.

As their shift ends at 2:30 pm, the brooms are discarded and the uniforms are neatly piled upon a table. They line up to mark their attendance and one of them remembers they’ll be working on Friday as well. “Doesn’t make a difference. We haven’t got our salary yet, so we can’t celebrate any way,” says Uma, a sweeper.

Most of the safai karamchari’s are contractually employed. While medical insurance is available to them, it is rarely realised and over the years medical bills, prescriptions and doctor’s certificates get lost in paperwork.

“I fell sick and couldn’t work for months. Later, I had to stop working altogether. But my bills are still with the government and I haven’t seen a single paisa,” said Bibhuti, who lives in Daryaganj and used to work with the Delhi municipal department.