File Photo: Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung today ordered the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to open more night shelters which he said "give a sense of security" to homeless families.
Mr Jung said this during a review meeting on the status of night shelters in the city which was attended by top officials including the Delhi Chief Secretary.
"Family shelters give a sense of security which becomes all the more important when people feel particularly vulnerable. The period till second week of February is critical for homeless people and all concerned must put in their best efforts to serve them," he said.
As per official data, 13 night shelters are being run exclusively for families, 20 exclusively for children, 19 for women, and 2 for differently-abled persons.
During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor also asked DUSIB to re-evaluate and set up family shelters wherever required.
An official release claimed that DUSIB officials, with the assistance of Delhi Police, have been rescuing 200 homeless people daily on an average and shifting them to night shelters.
"DUSIB officials through 'Homeless Resource Centres', Delhi Police officials and others have been rescuing 200 homeless people daily on an average and shifting them to the safety of night shelters," said the release.
According to official statistics, of the 249 operational night shelters in the city with a total capacity of approximately 18,805 people: 91 are permanent shelters, 111 are being run out of porta cabins, 37 in tents, nine in DDA community centres and one in a metro station at Okhla.