NEW DELHI: When a group of children in Nizamuddin
area reached out to lieutenant governor Najeeb
Jung asking for space to take refuge from the cold on Sunday night, their anguish made him issue orders on Monday to set up temporary tents under flyovers where the homeless are concentrated. This arrangement shall be in place till the first week of February.The LG has also instructed
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide space to
DUSIB for setting up more night shelters. DUSIB is arranging blankets and beddings for these establishments at the
DMRC locations. DMRC will provide the ground floor of Okhla Metro station to DUSIB for this purpose. In addition, it will also provide porta cabins.
TOI has been repeatedly raising the need for tents below flyovers and near Metro stations for the homeless. The LG had earlier refused the proposal on security grounds. In January 2014, when cases of deaths of homeless people were reported, Delhi government had for the first time allowed temporary tents to be put up under flyovers at locations like Nehru Place and Yamuna Pushta.
This year tents have just started to come up when the cold is at its peak. For 48-year-old Mohd Ayub the news of a proposed tent at the flyover that leads to Lodhi Road has come as a hope of respite from the cold. Disabled, Ayub has been parking his tricycle under the flyover for years. These days he braves the cold nights in the open as he cannot use the night shelter ill-equipped for disabled people.
The state administration had also earlier trashed suggestions of setting up tents under flyovers and in subways citing security concerns. They added that homeless may become vulnerable to road accidents.
However, the LG’s perception changed after Sunday night’s inspection. He not only passed orders allowing DUSIB to put up tents below flyovers and bridge, but also approved an additional Rs 7 crore to the Rs 5 crore allocated last year.