The workers are an indelible part of Mumbai’s local train network. But they fear that a new licensing policy will displace them and threaten their livelihoods.
For years, India’s highway authority has cut away at the mountain state’s slopes to make wider roads for traffic. The result has been cataclysmic landslides.
As the Western Ghats crumble, landslides are burying entire villages. The state wants to move people to safety but is struggling to identify vulnerable spots.