Night shelters to be free in winter, DUSIB's appeal to donors

There is some comforting news for the homeless this winter season.
The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board has announced that its night shelters across the capital will provide free service to the homeless from December 1 this year to March 15, 2015.
"Our fee is Rs 10 per person for every 24 hours. We don't charge women, children, handicapped people, senior citizens and drug addicts but from 1st December this year till March 15, 2015, our shelters will be absolutely free for everyone," DUSIB Director (Night Shelter/ Assets and Management) Kamal Malhotra told PTI.
"Now the homeless people need not to worry about where to stay in winters. Even the money-less can come and stay at our shelters. We have taken this step keeping in mind the well-being of the homeless people," he added.

Though there are 184 shelters all over Delhi, DUSIB has put 15 more in different locations and appealed to the people that instead of giving clothes, food, money and other material to the people living on roadside, they should donate them to their nearest shelter house.
"People can go to the internet to identify the nearest shelter and if still they find any difficulty, they can ring us for assistance," the Director said.

DUSIB stressed that providing shelter to the homeless could be a big challenge in future as migration to Delhi and National Capital Region is increasing day by day.

"Things must be done to curb the increasing shelter seekers," he said, adding steps should taken in the long term.
"They cannot be left to sleep on roadside. Hence we are bound to make more night shelters. Two more shelters will be ready for service by November 30, one of which is coming up at Yamuna Pushta. We have also purchased 7000 sqft from DDA... you can say seven plots in different areas of Delhi and work to buy another plot is on the verge of finalisation," he said.