250 more shelter homes to provide relief to homeless in Delhi during winter nights

In addition to the regular shelter homes in the national capital, 250 new ones will ensure that no person is forced to sleep under the open sky during the upcoming cold nights.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the government’s objective is to ensure that every homeless person has shelter under the Winter Action Plan from 15 November to 15 March.

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Modern technology is being employed to not only ensure comfortable stay for the homeless but also for smooth and efficient operation of the shelters, officials said.

The Chief Minister has said that her government is committed to ensuring essential facilities for the marginalised sections of society. The administration is sensitive to the needs of the poor, as they are often the hardest to reach.

Under the Shelter Home Scheme of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), there are currently 197 shelters operational in the capital.

According to the officials, these include 153 shelters for men, 17 for women, 19 for families and children, and eight for special categories such as persons affected by HIV, TB, or drug addiction. Each shelter is equipped with beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets, electricity, mosquito control devices, water coolers, and CCTV security systems, especially considering the women’s safety aspect.

A total of 250 temporary shelters are being set up across 120 locations in the city. These will collectively accommodate about 2,500 people, with scope for expansion if required. To further assist the people on streets with no next of kin, rescue teams and a central control room are also being set up, while GPS-enabled rescue vans will operate from 10 pm to 4 am every night to safely transport homeless individuals from the streets to nearby shelters.

According to the CM, DUSIB has integrated digital technology for monitoring and rescue operations with regard to the homeless, and the ‘Rain Basera’ mobile application will be put to use for reporting and tracking these people.

On the other hand, the ‘Night Shelter Inspection App’  (NSIA) helps oversee shelter operations through GPS tracking and real-time data updates.

A new policy has also been introduced in a bid to improve the quality of the night shelters, with a quality- and cost-based selection system being adopted to select the responsible agencies for operating these shelters. They will be responsible for 24×7 operation, cleanliness, maintenance, fire safety, electrical systems, and the security of these facilities.

To ensure that people operating these places remain alert and present on their job, attendance of the staff will now be tracked through Aadhaar-based biometric systems.

The centres that are women- and children-centric will be integrated with nearby Anganwadis to provide essential health, nutrition, and education services.