Delhi CM reviews winter plan, directs agencies to ensure no one sleeps in the cold

Special focus must be given to schoolchildren, patients in hospitals and those staying in anganwadi centres, she said.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday reviewed preparedness across departments under her government’s winter action plan and directed officials to ensure that no homeless person or vulnerable citizen is left exposed to the cold in the national capital.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

Special focus must be given to schoolchildren, patients in hospitals and those staying in anganwadi centres, she said.

Officials told Gupta that 197 permanent night shelters, with a combined capacity of around 18,000 people, are currently operational across the city.

In addition, 204 of the 250 planned temporary shelters have already been set up and equipped with winter essentials such as adequate bedding, heating facilities, water and security. Continuous monitoring of shelters must be carried out till March 15 to ensure timely intervention when needed, the chief minister told officials.

“Proactive measures should be taken so that not a single citizen is forced to sleep in the open during peak winter. Delhi’s night shelters are not merely structures — they symbolise dignity and security,” she said.

The facilities, officials added, have been equipped with CCTV cameras, mosquito-control devices and special security arrangements for women, while the “Rain Basera” mobile app remains active to assist homeless individuals in finding a shelter nearest to them.

The CM instructed the health department to ensure hospitals are not short of blankets or other protective support for patients. She also asked agencies to prioritise winter safety of schoolchildren, saying heating arrangements for schools may be explored through corporate social responsibility partnerships wherever feasible.

Similar directives have been issued for anganwadi centres and childcare facilities, with a focus on ensuring warmth and continuity of services during low temperatures.

Gupta also stated that this year’s preparations are more extensive than last winter, expanding support mechanisms beyond the homeless to cover several other vulnerable groups, including security personnel deployed in government buildings, who will now be provided electric heaters instead of resorting to burning wood to keep warm.

Senior officials, including chief secretary Rajeev Verma, attended the review meeting and briefed the CM on coordination efforts between departments such as health, social welfare, education and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

Stressing the need for accountability, Gupta said district authorities and departments must remain on alert through the winter months and reach out to those at risk before weather conditions worsen.

Cabinet clears procurement of 10,000 desks from Tihar jail factory

The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday also approved the procurement of 10,000 dual desks from the Tihar Central Jail factory to bridge the furniture shortage in government schools. The proposal, cleared at a meeting chaired by Gupta, aims to upgrade classroom infrastructure while supporting employment and skill-building for inmates.

Officials said the initiative follows guidelines issued by the Union housing and urban affairs ministry to strengthen rehabilitation programmes by engaging inmates in manufacturing work. The procurement, estimated at ₹8.95 crore including GST, transport and allied costs, will be funded through the ₹20 crore allocation for school furniture in the 2025–26 budget. The CM said desks produced in Tihar meet PWD specifications and are nearly 25% cheaper than market options.

Education minister Ashish Sood said Delhi has 1,086 government schools, many of which have seen rising enrolment. A field survey in April identified an immediate need for over 23,000 dual desks, later revised to nearly 25,000. The first lot of 10,000 desks will be supplied by the jail factory in the coming months.