Daily wager Amar Singh (47) was in for a pleasant surprise when he reached the makeshift Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) night shelter at Mahavir Chowk here on Thursday night. The civic body officials and some non-government organisation workers were distributing food to the inmates. The civic body, with help from a few NGOs and social organisations, kicked-off free night meal and morning tea facility at its 10 night shelters from Thursday.
“I reached the shelter after having food at a dhaba. But I had another meal at the shelter when I found that the food being served was free... The food was good,” said Mr. Singh, a regular at the shelter for the past week.
A resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, Mr. Singh came to the Millennium City looking for work a month ago. He earns ₹300-₹350 daily. Lamenting that the shelter did not have a washroom, he said, “With food being provided free of cost at the shelter, I will save ₹50 per day.”
Expressing hope that the free food facility will continue, daily wager Mukesh (41) complained about the lack of hygiene and cleanliness at the Bhim Nagar night shelter. “The washrooms don’t have taps and stink. All complaints to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears. The first-aid box does not have medicines and the bedding has not been washed for months,” said Mr. Mukesh, a regular to the night shelter for the past three years.
Triloki Gupta, another inmate, said inebriated persons were a real nuisance at the shelter. “Drunkards being allowed inside the shelter are a real nuisance. Not only do they not allow other inmates to sleep in peace and pick fights with them, they also soil the bedding. Even the security guard does not interfere,” he said.
However, waster collector Budhram said sleeping in the shelter was far better than sleeping on the road in the biting cold.
“I used to sleep at the railway station or the pavement before I came to know about the shelter a fortnight ago. It is very comfortable here. I get beddings and washroom facilities. With the civic body now supplying food free of cost, one cannot ask for more,” said Mr. Budhram.
Sohan Lal, a mason, demanded that night shelter facilities should be available throughout the year.
“The shelter runs for only four months — from December 1 to March 31. Around 50-60 people sleep here every night. After it is closed, we will be forced to sleep on pavements again. The government should consider keeping this and other shelters open throughout the year,” he said.
