New night shelter opened in Agra

A new night shelter was on Sunday opened in the city to ensure a comfortable stay for the homeless.

The night shelter, set up near Subhash Park on MG Road here, offers bedding to lodgers.

"Every winter, we set up a dozen such 'rain baseras' (night shelters) at busy road crossings or outside railway stations or bus stands, and provide free night stay for the homeless. A bonfire is lit outside to keep the inmates warm," Bankey Lal Maheshwari, chief of Sri Nathji Nishulk Jal Sewa, told IANS.

The Agra municipal corporation cites resource crunch for its inability to provide adequate night shelters to the homeless.

 

Though it claims to run 13 shelters, a survey by a non-governmental organisation found as many as eight were closed.