Ggm admin forms teams to bring homeless people to night shelters

The Gurugram district administration on Friday said it has formed teams to check the status of people sleeping in the open and shift them to the nearest shelter.

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said they have been requesting people to stay in shelter homes during winter and have provided facilities. “Despite repeated attempts, people go back to sleeping in the open and fall sick. We are also offering medical facilities and have provided dinner and breakfast while trying to ensure a comfortable stay for them in the shelter homes. Each night shelter has an in-charge and blankets have been given to each occupant. Food and security arrangements have been made at all the shelter homes including two for women,” said Yadav.

Officials said they received pictures of people sleeping in the open after which the initiative was taken by the administration. According to the officials, the team will visit public places like Iffco Chowk, Signature Tower, Rajiv Chowk, bus stand, railway station and other areas and will shift those found sleeping in the open to shelter homes in their official vehicles and PCR vans. Blankets will be given to them on the spot and teams will ensure they are reaching night shelters before 8pm every day, they said.

Yadav said that the city currently has 12 night shelters. In late 2016, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram introduced portable night shelters, and over the next seven years, 10 more permanent night shelters were opened across the city.

“There is no requirement for any kind of identification or documentation for accommodation in these shelters. We have been spreading awareness across the city and have urged the general public to inform homeless individuals sleeping outdoors during the cold about the availability of these night shelters,” he said.

Yadav added that they are also coordinating with gurudwaras and NGOs for proper arrangement of food at the shelters. Each shelter is supervised by district administration officers to ensure the availability of facilities. These facilities include a guard, clean bedding, lighting, toilets, and drinking water. Officials said at least 60 people visit a given night shelter on a single night between November and February end every year.

The 12 locations where the shelters have been set up are at the railway station, Sohna Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Kanhai, Kadipur, Darbaripur, Manesar, Pataudi, Farukhnagar, Jatoli and two in Bhim Nagar.