NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday restrained authorities concerned, including Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Delhi Police and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), from demolishing temporary shelters for the homeless in the national capital without getting its permission.
A bench of Justices SR Bhat and Dipankar Datta in their order said, “It is pointed out that there are three temporary shelters at Geeta Ghat, which caters to homeless of special needs such as with TB, orthopaedic and mental health condition. The Delhi police and the DDA and all other authorities in the government are directed to not demolish any of the three temporary shelter homes in Geeta Ghat or any other temporary shelter without approaching this court.”
The court’s order came in a plea, which raised the issue of demolition of night shelters in Delhi. The bench was also considering an application, which had sought a stay on the demolition of a night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan. It was stated in the application that demolition was going on and it housed 50 homeless residents of the city.
Counsel for DUSIB told the court that prior arrangements were made for shifting the homeless before the removal of the night shelters. The affidavit also stated that inhabitants of these night shelters were shifted to permanent night shelters or shelter homes of DUSIB located at Phool Mandi, Mori Gate, Delhi and Geeta Colony.