In the narrow lanes of Delhi’s leprosy colonies, daily life is shaped not only by memories of disease, but by the absence of things most city residents take for granted—safe drinking water, walkable roads, and basic civic care. For people living in nearly 27 such colonies on the outskirts of the Delhi–Uttar Pradesh border in Tahirpur, these essentials remain a distant promise.

Residents say the real struggle today is not leprosy itself, but neglect. “We don’t ask for special treatment,” a middle-aged resident told Drug Today Medical Times. “We only want to be treated like any other citizen.” Yet, in many colonies, broken roads, clogged drains and unsafe water supplies remain part of everyday life.

Ravinder, in his early 50s, has lived in one of these colonies since 1981. His voice carries both fatigue and quiet anger. “We are forced to drink water mixed with submersible water because clean drinking water is not available,” he said. Pointing to the uneven road outside his home, he added that repairs are rare and often temporary. “There is no marriage hall, no proper place to celebrate festivals like Chhath Puja, and the drainage system is poor. This is 444 New Quarter Colony—yet it feels invisible.”

For many residents, the emotional toll runs deep. “We are already cut off from mainstream society,” another resident said. “That hurts. But when even basic facilities are denied, it makes survival harder.”

Amid this grim reality, Anand Gram offers a rare story of hope. Established in 1960, the colony has slowly rewritten its narrative through education and community effort. Children from the colony now attend reputed schools, and several residents have gone on to build respected lives beyond its boundaries.

Y. Paul, President of the Anand Gram Kusthrogi Kalyan Samiti, says progress has come despite minimal government support. “No one comes regularly to clean our streets. We have created our own system to keep the colony clean,” he said. Anand Gram has clinics offering allopathic and alternative treatments, some rental spaces that help generate income, and a modest financial assistance of ₹5,600 for leprosy-affected families.

“Today, only a few people here have active leprosy,” Paul explained. “Most residents live normal lives. They are educated, employed, and their children are doing well.” Yet even here, the struggle is not over. “The biggest issue that remains is proper road and street construction,” he said. “We keep urging the government to help us.”

Health experts and residents alike warn that ignoring these colonies sends a troubling message—that people once affected by disease are less deserving of dignity. With many colonies set up after 2000, residents question why basic infrastructure has still not reached them.

Their demand is simple and human: clean water to drink, roads safe enough to walk on, and public services that do not stop at the colony gate. As one resident put it, “If life is about dignity, then these facilities are not luxuries—they are our right.”