Bland walls and drab surroundings of many slums in south Delhi have now been transformed into vibrant and colourful spaces, thanks to a street art project that seeks to meaningfully engage people with the residents of such colonies.
The project is part of a larger initiative of improving the quality of life and sanitation condition in slum clusters, officials said.
"Street art is another form of expression and it is very different from the gallery or canvas art. It is bound to be destroyed over time, due to heat, rain, dirt or pollution. But till the time the art is preserved and people get involved with it, it surely brings some change in the life and attitude of people," said Yogesh Saini, founder of Delhi Street Art.
In Delhi, the team from this creative platform has done street art work at several locations, including Lodhi Road area, Shankar Market, Cyber City, various flyovers, buildings of underprivileged schools, metro pillars, night shelters and toilet complexes.
The Delhi Street Art and an NGO have partnered with a state-run oil major for this slum makeover project. The NGO carried out the cleanliness drive along with the art group.
"Seven camps - five in Vasant Vihar and two in R K Puram - have been taken up by us for the cleanliness drive. Cleanliness should not be a one-time activity, it should be sustainable," said an official of the company who did not wish to be quoted.
Project Manager of Safe Approach NGO, Santosh Jha, said, "We have taken up the activity of cleaning and aesthetic beautification of the Kholi camp and Seva camp here. People should be able to notice from far away and acknowledge it as a model slum of Delhi."
"The locals are also expected to maintain the cleanliness of the place to avoid health hazard or any problems caused by the unhygienic conditions. We raised awareness among the locals through street plays," he said.
Therefore, it was planned to beautify the area rather than just cleaning it. If the surroundings remain clean and vibrant, people will be motivated to keep it maintained that way, Jha said.
"The visibility, safety and maintenance of the places where we carry out our art definitely get better," Saini said.
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