HC directs Delhi govt to see representation on survey of homeless people

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Government Chief Secretary and relevant authorities to promptly address a representation requesting a comprehensive survey of Delhi's homeless population and an evaluation of existing shelter home services, in accordance with the law.

The plea moved in the Delhi High Court stated that homelessness in Delhi has been a longstanding concern, with early efforts dating back to the 1950s. Despite past surveys and measures--including initiatives by the Delhi government, directives from the courts, and NHRC interventions-- there remains no reliable data on the city's homeless.

Past reports highlight significant urban inequities, showing the need for targeted interventions. Although a 2010 survey recorded 67,151 homeless individuals, subsequent surveys have produced conflicting figures, underscoring the absence of a standardized data collection process. Urgent intervention of the authorities is crucial as Wintertime is a time of homeless deaths.

However, it is difficult to confidently say that a person on the street is a homeless person, even if all circumstantial evidence points to the above, and therefore becomes a commentary on the criminal negligence of responsibility of the state towards the life of that person. And it is difficult to identify them through the police portal data - unlisted unidentified dead bodies, the plea said.

In view of the above, it is important to identify homeless people when they are alive so that when they are dead due to the elements of nature or accidents or starvation - all aspects of state, neglect, their deaths are acknowledged as homeless deaths.

Noted the submissions, the bench led by Chief Justice Manmohan also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, directed the Delhi Government to decide the representation made by the petitioner in this regard as per law.

"The petitioner organization, Centre for Holistic Development, through Advocate Robin Raju, raised concerns over the ongoing deaths of homeless individuals due to extreme weather conditions, particularly highlighting the heatwave in June 2024, which claimed the lives of around 200 people. In response to this tragedy, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board to report on the actions taken, which included precautionary measures, but fatalities continued to occur," the plea stated.

The petitioner's representation to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MHUA) calls for a comprehensive survey of the homeless population to ensure a more effective allocation of resources and service delivery.

The MHUA has acknowledged that the responsibility for conducting this survey lies with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board. though the survey remains incomplete.

The aim of the survey, as stated in the plea, is to obtain an accurate estimate of the homeless population and address existing gaps in data.

The petition highlights that many individuals, particularly from marginalized communities, became homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the city has seen numerous demolitions over the past year, which have further displaced a large number of people.

This headcount, the plea asserts, will provide a clearer picture of the scale of homelessness in Delhi.