On December 20, the Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited, alongside the Greater Bengaluru Authority, demolished more than 160 houses in Kogilu, north Bengaluru. Despite subsequent surveys by the government and NGOs, no rehabilitation or interim housing has been offered, leaving families displaced and struggling. Bengaluru’s slums have grown sharply due to a lack of public housing and rural hardships pushing people to the city for work. Advocate Clifton D’Rozario says, “Nobody wants to live next to a drain, under a tin roof or a tarpaulin sheet. People... are forced into such conditions only when every option is closed off.” Labourers working on long-running infrastructure projects settle near sites, creating slums that become permanent over time. Many face eviction without notice, violating constitutional safeguards meant to protect residents. Karnataka law allows declaring slums to extend services, but this is applied selectively, often to protect high-value land. Official data shows Bengaluru’s recognized slums have decreased, but activists argue this reflects less counting, not fewer slums. In Kogilu and Thanisandra, demolitions targeted tenants who paid intermediaries rent, yet the burden falls on workers, not those profiting from the informal rent system. Housing expert L. Issac Arun Selva highlights the need for a comprehensive human development plan covering housing, transport, and schooling. Despite government promises to study models like Mumbai’s Dharavi redevelopment, no solid plans or timelines exist. Displaced families remain without support, showing how slum redevelopment efforts have stalled. Experts stress the critical link between housing and livelihood. Relocating workers far from jobs disrupts income and access to services, forcing some back to informal settlements. As Selva says, “The failure... lies in how the system is designed.” Bengaluru continues to build infrastructure but fails to plan for the people who sustain it, making slums and displacement an ongoing cycle.