An Open Market for Informal Workers: The Precarious Labour Chowks of Delhi

New Delhi, like many other cities, has an open labour market where workers come and wait to be hired for their daily work. This book delves into the world of informal workers at these labour chowks of the capital. Beyond the waiting and work, each individual carries a story from their village along with a small stove, some daal and a rug to sleep on the street. Surveys conducted with workers from Company Baug, Sarai Kale Khan and other labour chowks of Delhi form the foundation of the narrative, giving us a sense of who these workers are, while in-depth interviews flesh out varying aspects of their work and lives, such as migration to the city, the labour contracting process, their lives in the city, homelessness, disability, wage theft, and the relationships and friendships that help the workers survive the harshness of another day.