Distances cause nuclear families to shrink further

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Looks like the concept of joint families in a metropolitan city is a thing of the past; and perhaps, only in movies like Patiala House, will we get to watch four generations living under the same roof.

In a recent survey conducted among Delhiites, it was revealed that joint families are slowly dying in the capital and only 10 per cent of families have extended families here. Even the nuclear families of four is slowly shrinking and in many cases only one married couple inhabit 76 per cent households in Delhi.
The main two factors that are responsible for reducing families in big cities are commuting distance to work\educational institutes and need of personal space away from family interference. Three years back Shantanu Singh (name changed on request), a choreographer, decided to stay away from family because his family wouldn’t accept his homosexuality. He reveals, “It was difficult living with them for they were not willing to accept me as a homosexual and created problems every day. When I moved out of my parental house, it was difficult to manage at first, but I slowly learned how to cope with it.”
The reasons to stay away from family in spite of having a parental house may vary. Some Delhiites choose to stay with their family only during weekends. Nishank Sharma, a student, says, “My sister works with a BPO in Dwarka and stays in a rented apartment in Pitampura, while our family stays in Ghaziabad. It’s a huge distance for her to commute and her work timings are erratic, so she prefers staying closer to her office. She comes home every fortnight and during festivals when she gets a few days off.”
Mohnish Malhotra, a PR professional, agrees how distances make it easier to stay near one’s workplace rather than putting up with the family. He says, “My family stays near Punjabi Bagh, but my work keeps me in and around South Delhi. So, I shifted to South Delhi when I set up my own office there. Whenever I’m free, I go to meet my family and spend time with them.”
Commuting in Delhi is a pain, especially when it involves travelling from one end of the city to another. Ekta Dhankhar, who works in Gurgaon, reveals that even travelling by Metro doesn’t help. She says, “My family stays in Dwarka and my office is in Gurgaon, so I moved into a PG in Gurgaon to avoid travelling.”