NEW DELHI: The district administration shifted hundreds of homeless and daily wagers, staying on pavements in Chandni Chowk areas since the national lockdown on March 25, to various quarantine facilities and shelter homes in a late-night operation on Wednesday.The Delhi government will soon begin their screening to ascertain whether or not they are infected with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) or some other contagion.Deputy commissioner, central district, Nidhi Srivatsava said about 1,500-2,000 people were shifted from Chandni Chowk on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses.
“We had received information about the gathering, thereafter, we initiated the operation immediately. Evacuees have been accommodated in different locations across all the districts, including seven shelters under the central district’s jurisdiction. We will have to begin their screening soon,” said Srivatsava, who supervised the operation.
Officials aware of the development said destitute and jobless causal labourers were particularly camping on roads close to Gurudwara Sis Ganj, from where they would get food. Around 50 DTC buses were used for the relocation.Citing security issues, local traders had been seeking removal of people staying on the streets. The traders had alleged that several drug-addicts or vagabonds, who were previously loitering near Kashmere Gate and adjoining Yamuna Bank, moved to the market area.
On Sunday, secretary of Chandni Chowk Nagrik Manch Praveen Shankar Kapoor had appealed to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Police to look into the matter.“It might turn into another hotspot of coronavirus. Hundreds of vagabonds were roaming and sleeping on the streets. Certainly, some of them were drug addicts. Free food (at Gurudwara) had attracted them. Several of them have entered the bylanes, which could be a potential threat to the security of the area,” said Kapoor.
Speaking on the development, president of traders’ association-Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal Sanjay Bhargava said the eviction would go a long way towards maintaining the law and order situation in the market.“It will stop the possible spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the densely populated commercial centre and adjoining residential areas. I request the administration to send drug addicts to de-addiction or rehabilitation centres,” he said.A senior government official said the opportunity should be used to frame a policy for rehabilitation of casual workers and homeless.