NEW DELHI: Days after Delhi High Court directed authorities to ensure that adequate facilities are provided in night shelters to protect its occupants from the cold, the Delhi government has intensified efforts in expanding night shelter facilities and stepping up rescue operations around major hospitals.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said special focus has been placed on areas surrounding AIIMS’ Safdarjung and G B Pant Hospital, where a large number of destitute people are often found sleeping in the open. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), along with shelter management agencies, is conducting regular night drives to look for the homeless and move them to shelters. Night shelters are providing essential facilities free of cost, including bedding, three meals a day, sanitation and safe drinking water.
The chief minister stated that under the Winter Action Plan 2025-26, around 250 temporary ‘pagoda’ night shelters have been established in sensitive and high-footfall areas across the capital to protect from the cold. In addition, DUSIB is operating 197 permanent night shelters across Delhi on a 24×7 basis, all equipped with basic amenities.
She further informed that, besides the existing 32 pagoda night shelters with a capacity of 320 beds in the AIIMS-Safdarjung area, three additional pagoda shelters have been set up, taking the total capacity in the area to 350 beds.
Considering the higher concentration of homeless people around AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals, temporary shelter arrangements have also been made in subway areas.
Blankets and bedding are being provided immediately to those in need. Under a special drive, around 75 homeless persons were rescued from the AIIMS-Safdarjung area and shifted to safe locations, after which the area was cleared of people sleeping in the open.
Gupta also said that eight temporary ‘pagoda’ night shelters have been established around GB Pant hospital, providing accommodation for 80 people. Agencies operating the night shelters are conducting regular inspections every night between 10 pm and 4 am to ensure that homeless persons in open and unsafe locations are promptly brought to shelters.
A central control room is functioning round the clock to coordinate these efforts.
The CM emphasised that the Delhi government’s efforts are not limited to providing shelter alone, and that a city-wide alert and rescue mechanism has been activated.