NEW DELHI: In a bid to strengthen emergency accommodation before winter, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has invited bids for the supply, installation and upkeep of 250 waterproof, fire-retardant pagoda tents across the city.
The tender document floated last week states that the work, estimated to cost around Rs 3.41 crore, calls for European- and German-style pagodas — hangars commonly used at camps, exhibitions and fairs — to be converted into temporary shelter homes at multiple sites in the national capital.
Under the contract, the successful vendor must provide wooden platform bases, beds and mattresses, basic first-aid kits, and comprehensive fire-fighting arrangements, including dedicated water storage.
Each pagoda will be equipped with four portable rechargeable LED lanterns and all logistical support needed to operate the shelters. The agency will also be responsible for the supply and ongoing maintenance of the tents for the period specified.
The earnest money deposit for bidders has been set at Rs 7 lakh, with a work completion period of 120 days, DUSIB said.
To maintain standards, DUSIB has mandated fortnightly inspections by the deputy director (night shelter); any defects or shortfalls flagged during inspections must be corrected within two days. The selected agency will also handle day-to-day upkeep and last-mile logistics to keep the shelters operational through the winter. The move forms part of the city’s pre-winter preparedness aimed at providing safer, weatherproof and fire-resistant refuges for homeless residents.
DUSIB currently operates 325 shelter homes across the city, including tents and temporary buildings, with a total capacity of 19,794. However, in the past, DUSIB shelters have proven inadequate in housing all of the city’s homeless. The last official survey by the agency, conducted in 2014, estimated a total of 16,670 homeless individuals — a figure that NGOs claim is far lower than the actual number.
According to the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), 180 homeless people died as a result of the cold last winter. The organisation also claimed that at least 192 homeless people succumbed to the heatwave in June this year. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had even issued a notice to the Delhi government on the basis of this report.
In November 2024, the Delhi High Court instructed the Chief Secretary and other authorities to swiftly act on a plea seeking a detailed survey of the homeless population in Delhi. The court also called for an assessment of the effectiveness of existing shelter home services to ensure compliance with legal standards.
180 homeless died of cold last winter: Report
DUSIB currently operates 325 shelter homes across the city, including tents and temporary buildings, with a total capacity of 19,794. According to the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), 180 homeless people died as a result of the cold last winter. The organisation also claimed that at least 192 homeless people succumbed to the heatwave in June this year. The National Human Rights Commission had even issued a notice to the Delhi government on the basis of this report.
