Coronavirus update: Delhi to turn 35 halls into shelters as 11,000 more arrive at existing ones

The shelter homes in Delhi have a capacity of 16,000 but till Saturday, the occupancy was recorded at around 7,000. Around 7,100 additional people had arrived till Wednesday afternoon. Another 4,000 arrived after that.

The Delhi government will convert 35 community halls in the city into shelters over the next two days for the people left unemployed and homeless by the nationwide lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, officials said on Thursday.

The homeless and people stranded due to the nationwide lockdown at a government run night shelter during the second day of national lockdown imposed by PM Narendra Modi to curb the spread of coronavirus.(Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

Around 11,000 more people have arrived at the 234 existing shelters in Delhi for the homeless over the last three days, they added. Most of them are either daily wage labourers, who can neither afford to return home because rail and buses have been suspended nor can they afford to live in the city with the lockdown depriving them of their daily income. Many are homeless, who earlier lived on pavements and in other public spaces.

Officials said now that the lockdown is being enforced like a curfew, police are not letting anyone remain on the roads and in public spaces.

“We will convert 35 new community halls into shelters now, where the occupants would also get two meals a day. We have also written to the municipal corporations and the Delhi Development Authority to let some of their buildings to be used as shelters temporarily,” said Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board member Bipin Rai.

The government has also run out of its stock of folded beds because of the unexpected arrival of people at the night shelters over the last three days. In the new shelters, the occupants will get only jute mattresses and blankets.

A second official said the government has a decent stock of mattresses and blankets. “Under the present circumstances, it is not possible to procure more folded beds,” said the official, who did not wish to be named.

The official said the Board is also fast running out of pulses and other essential materials. The collectors in all 11 revenue districts of the city have been asked to ensure deployment of officials at the city’s borders for issuing curfew passes to trucks ferrying essentials for the shelters, the official added.

Meals served at the shelters consist of rice served with either lentils or a vegetable stew.

The shelter homes in Delhi have a capacity of 16,000 but till Saturday, the occupancy was recorded at around 7,000. Around 7,100 additional people had arrived till Wednesday afternoon. Another 4,000 arrived after that.