: The face of Delhi’s night shelters is set to get a big makeover. The dingy porta-cabins and temporary community toilets which make for the existing night shelters are going to give way to four-storey buildings equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as solar water heating systems, lifts, telephones, first-aid, common kitchens, separate bathing and toilet spaces, child-care facilities and so on.
Power of two
In order to implement the Centre’s National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), the Delhi government on Friday approved two major projects on night shelters.
Under the first one, it plans to build four buildings as night shelters in Nangloi, Dwarka, Rohini and Geeta Colony.
The projects worth Rs. 41.24 crore were approved by the State Project Sanctioning Committee headed by Chief Secretary K.K. Sharma and will be implemented by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).
Changing mindset
“We want to change people’s mindset of night shelters. The city’s homeless must live with dignity, and in a clean environment. Families living on streets will also be provided rooms and shared common spaces,” said V.K Jain, CEO, DUSIB.
There will also be designated spaces for aged and differently-abled people, and single women and their children. The buildings will also have multi-purpose rooms where the inhabitants will be given skill training.
Under the second project, the committee has identified 13 night shelters which will be refurbished.
“Wood and ceramic glazed tiles will be used for construction,” said Ramesh Negi, Principal Secretary (Urban Development).
Delhi has around 200 night shelters which accommodate approximately 16,000 homeless. The number increases during winters.
Solar water heating systems, lifts, telephones, kitchens to be introduced in night shelters
