As the Delhi Assembly elections approach, with voting set for February 5 and counting on February 8, there is one area of the city that continues to be overlooked: Garstin Bastion (GB) Road, home to hundreds of sex workers who struggle daily with basic necessities like electricity, clean drinking water, and proper sanitation.

Savitri (name changed), a sex worker for over 30 years, expressed her frustration with the lack of attention from political leaders. "We cast our votes like everyone else, but we are the least considered," she said. "We live in cramped rooms where four or five women share a single space, and there’s only one washroom for 10 to 15 women on each floor."

Reshma (name changed), a 30-year-old sex worker, echoed the same sentiment. She described their constant battle with unhygienic living conditions. “We face electricity cuts for three to four hours every morning and night. In winter, it's tolerable, but in summer, it’s unbearable,” she explained. The rooms are stifling, lacking proper windows for air or sunlight, making their lives even more challenging.

Walking through GB Road, one finds small, dimly lit rooms with barely enough space to accommodate a bed. The narrow drains from the shared washrooms run just outside the doors, contributing to the unsanitary conditions these women endure.

Despite the daily struggles, political campaigns rarely, if ever, address the plight of sex workers. "Every election, they come with promises, but nothing changes," said Rani (name changed), a sex worker who has lived on GB Road for over a decade. While politicians engage in rallies and campaign speeches, the voices of one of the city's most marginalized communities are still ignored.

Neha (name changed), another sex worker, pointed out the persistent issues with infrastructure. "The water pipeline has been broken for months. The water we get is dirty, but we have no choice but to use it," she said, adding, "We’re treated like we don’t matter. When we complain, no one listens, and nothing is done."

Anita (name changed), an elderly sex worker around 70 years old, spoke of the challenges they face in accessing basic welfare services. “We don’t even have ration cards. Many NGOs come, listen to us, but no one helps us improve our living conditions,” she said. "Governments come and go, but our situation stays the same."

A local hardware shopkeeper, whose business has operated on GB Road since 1949, traced the area's origins to colonial times when it served as a hub for hardware and machinery trading. Over time, due to its proximity to transport centers like Old Delhi Railway Station, the area gained a reputation for sex work.