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Handful of shelter homes in Lucknow upgraded with modern amenities
Earlier this week, urban development minister AK Mishra, along with municipal commissioner Inderjeet Singh, conducted an inspection at the shelter homes in Jiamau.
Shortly before the chief minister issued official directives for municipal corporations and district administrations to enter ‘mission mode’ regarding homeless shelters for the winter, the Lucknow municipal corporation (LMC) had already activated shelters in the city, some even equipped with modern amenities.
Earlier this week, urban development minister AK Mishra, along with municipal commissioner Inderjeet Singh, conducted an inspection at the shelter homes in Jiamau. According to Singh, they will continue conducting night surveys in other areas of the city in the following days of the week.
“We have instructed our workers to go out into the streets and guide any homeless person towards the nearest shelter home. We do not want anybody to be suffering in the cold at night,” said Singh.
The LMC’s roster now includes two additional shelter homes compared to last year, bringing the total to 53 across the city, both temporary and permanent. Lucknow currently has 25 permanent and 28 temporary operational shelter homes, as per LMC data.
Singh also mentioned that many permanent shelter homes, some operated in partnership with non-profit organisations, have upgraded their facilities, including amenities such as televisions, kitchens, and refrigerators. The shelter home in Jiamau, visited by the authorities, is operated by the Umeed NGO.
An HT survey conducted in 2022 found that a permanent shelter home in Chinhut had a regular cleaning crew, offered dinner at subsidised prices, provided free meals for children and senior citizens, and featured separate dorms for men and women. This year, there is an upgrade with the addition of televisions and kitchens.
“The one in Jiamau is not the only one with such modern provisions. There are several other functional shelter homes with these exceptional amenities. We want to be able to accommodate every homeless individual on the streets of Lucknow with the best possible services,” said the municipal commissioner.
