As of January 2023, Akbar Ali has been living on the outskirts of Bangalore for over four years. He speaks a Hindi that is heavily touched by a lilting Bengali accent in a hushed tone of resignation. He has been unable to secure gainful employment, and has a severely disabled brother to take care of along with his family – his savings are fast depleting. The brother sits on a chair outside their shanty, half-muttering something, completely immobile. Ali’s wife and mother stay with him, and they politely offer me a glass of sweet lassi and a bottle of Sprite. As I tackle this strangely appealing offering, struck by the hospitality, they narrate their woes, as though I am in some position to actually help them. The thought is immensely humbling and dispiriting.

When it rains heavily, the waters of the neighbouring sewer overflow right into their homes. Bangalore recorded its highest annual rainfall ever in 2022. Akbar Ali and his family live in a sea of shanties that spreads out across waves of undeveloped tracts on the northeastern fringes of the city, where only a few apartment buildings and schools exist. It is predominantly occupied by a very specific group of...