New Delhi: Mukesh Sahoo (40), rickshaw pullers from Odisha, live in the market corridor Fatehpuri and Chandni Chowk, challenging extreme winter.
To protect himself from strong cold weather conditions at night, he often uses a campfire but cannot take advantage of the nearest shelter house in Chandni Chowk because of space there.
“Previously, I used to sleep there but since the last winter, I could not get space because the storage house capacity had been reduced to ensure social distance,” said Sahoo PTI.
The homeless score was forced to spend a cold night on the path under the flyover, a bus or subway shelter in the city.
“I was afraid of sleeping on the trail during this winter night because of the cold wind.
The house of residence has no room or in bad condition.
Toilet and other facilities at the nearest house where the nearby residence is not managed,” Ahmad Ali, a daily wage worker .
From Samastipur at Bihar, who slept under Sebebebang at Kashmere Gate ISTBT, regretted.
According to government surveys conducted in 2014, the national capital has more than 16,000 homeless.
However, some NGOs working on the subject claimed the number around one lakh.
However, the government’s authority said the arrangement was sufficient.
Official Increasing Board of Urban Shelter Delhi, the agency guarding the house where the government residence in the city, said there were 209 permanent shelters and 216 emergencies in the national capital.
“With 425 houses where they live across the city, we can accommodate nearly 21,000 homeless people.
But because Covid-19, the revised cumulative capacity is around 10,500 people,” the official told PTI, asking for anonymity.
He said the government provided all the necessary facilities such as lodging and food to ensure that they did not face problems.
The city government has provided free food to the homeless since the plague of pandemic in March 2020.
“We also have a dedicated team that picks up homeless people from streets and rehabilitates them at night shelter in various cities,” the official said.
Holistic development center, executive director, Sunil Kumar Aledia, said thousands of people were forced to spend their night on the streets due to lack of space and facilities at home.
“We estimate that there are around one homeless people in Delhi.
The house where the government managed is not only lacking in space but also facilities such as toilets,” he said.