With mercury levels dipping and fog enveloping the city, the municipal corporation has initiated preparations to operationalise four night shelters.
The MC will also arrange to bring the people sleeping on footpaths or roadsides to the night shelters and will also feed them.
MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal held a meeting with officials of the Zone D office on Tuesday and directed them to open the night shelters for homeless. Directions were also issued to prepare a roster of employees in all the four zones of the MC who will be deputed to transport the homeless to shelters in city buses.
With a capacity to shelter over 220 persons, the night shelters are situated at four locations — the Haibowal Dairy Complex, near the Clock Tower, Moti Nagar and in Millerganj near Manju Cinema. Officials said that if required, temporary shelters will also be established at the Jagraon Bridge and few more points where a large number of homeless people are found.
MC additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said that tie-ups were being done with gurdwaras, and NGOs for arranging food for those who come to the night shelter. Interested persons or NGOs can also contact MC officials, in case they want to contribute.
“The night shelter near the Clock Tower will be opened on Tuesday night, while the others are expected to open in a day or so. City buses will be deployed and MC employees will locate and transport homeless people to the night shelters,” said Dachalwal.
{{/usCountry}}“The night shelter near the Clock Tower will be opened on Tuesday night, while the others are expected to open in a day or so. City buses will be deployed and MC employees will locate and transport homeless people to the night shelters,” said Dachalwal.
{{/usCountry}}Low footfall at night shelters
In the past, the shelters have been witnessing low footfall even after transport facility was arranged by the MC. The old mattresses kept in the shelters are also washed once in a while.
One of the officials, requesting anonymity, said the homeless also avoid visiting the shelters as they receive blankets, and food from philanthropes on the roadsides.