Capital’s homeless talk to DNA about braving city’s shrewd winters, making ends meet and life in govt-run night shelters
Some two years ago, the government had decided to use DTC buses as night shelters. The idea was to yank out the seats and use the floor for laying mattresses. However, that idea did not go very far.
Users said the idea of climbing into a bus did not make sense. Besides, authorities had an issue finding parking for the buses. The idea was scrapped and the money was diverted into the traditional tent-based shelters.
There are some 83 permanent shelters and 115 Porta cabins. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) claims to have made enough arrangements for at least 21,000 homeless in Delhi.
The tents earlier got wet in the rain and could catch fire easily. This year, better tents have been ordered. First such tent is being built near Nigam Bhodh Ghat.
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The DUSIB has also ordered about 4,000 mattresses while 2,000 are already procured. The DUSIB has also launched an app called Rain Basera with which Delhiites can click photos of homeless and send to authorities via the app. The DUSIB can then locate them and offer help.
Four dogs and puppies guard the homeless
At the Sarai Kale Khan ISBT night shelter, women defecate in open. Toilets are either too less or not functioning at all. And when women go out to defecate, they are sometimes assaulted by auto and taxi drivers in the area. However, to tackle the problem, the inmates have adopted and trained stray dogs to guide the women at night and as and when needed, protect them too. “I am poor. I don’t have the money to file FIRs,” said Minakshi, an inmate. The shelter is now home to four stray dogs and several puppies.
PLIGHT OF HOMELESS
Incidents of violence against women and the homeless prompted a SC order in 2012 that for every 100,000 city population, one homeless shelters must be built across all cities
CENTRE’S EFFORTS
The Centre launched the Shelters for the Urban Homeless scheme in 2013. The scheme currently covers 790 cities. It aims to provide toilets, drinking water, beddings, and first-aid kits
This (Nigam Bodh Ghat) is an all-male shelter, so I cannot stay. My husband also does not stay because then I would be left alone outside
Vimla Devi, homeless
Although we get a roof overhead, the winter is severe. My grandson had caught a fever and had to go back to our village in Bihar
Ram Adesh, homeless
We go in the shrubs to defecate. Even after various complaints to the authorities, the toilets are either closed or unusable
Kalu, homeless
We do not even have enough money for two meals a day. How am I supposed to arrange for a doctor for my daughter-in-law?
Seema, cleaner at a shelter home
Even an old man was not allowed in the Sarai Kale Khan ISBT shelter home. He is waiting for the tents to be installed
Suraj Kumar, shelter home in charge
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