The Delhi government has put in place an extensive plan to protect the homeless and vulnerable from the intensifying heatwave. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), responsible for the welfare of such individuals, claims to have upgraded infrastructure across the shelters it operates.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Capacity
According to an April 27 report, the nodal agency managing shelter homes in the city has undertaken a series of actions to improve on-ground preparations. These include strengthening cooling infrastructure, ensuring access to drinking water, and enhancing medical preparedness in the shelters. DUSIB operates 197 shelters with a combined capacity of nearly 17,000 people, open round the clock. Of these, 82 are housed in permanent reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structures, while the rest function through porta-cabins.
Apart from the homeless, many who seek refuge at the shelters are from outside the city and are forced to camp near major hospitals to get their relatives treated. Recognizing the needs of such people during extreme weather, DUSIB has identified 13 additional locations, including community halls and schools near prominent medical institutes like AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. These temporary shelters will be operational from May 15 to July 15, offering three meals a day along with potable water to attendants of patients and other vulnerable people.
Coordination and Awareness Efforts
A summer control room at the DUSIB headquarters has been activated to coordinate efforts and ensure swift action during peak heat conditions. Awareness initiatives, including information, education, and communication campaigns and workshops, are scheduled between May 1 and May 15 to educate shelter staff and residents about safety and preventive measures. To further mitigate heat-related risks, the board is working on improving residents' access to water and medical support. All shelter homes and associated offices are being equipped to provide critical care to prevent heatstroke and dehydration. Special arrangements have also been made to ensure adequate meals and safe drinking water, particularly at the temporary shelters.
Field Survey Reveals Deficiencies
However, Sunil Kumar Aledia, national convenor of the National Forum for Homeless Housing Rights, stated that contrary to the government's claims, a field survey conducted on April 24 and 25 across 24 shelters found approximately 50% of the cooling units non-functional. At shelter no. 7 in Lahori Gate, nearly 70% of fans and 71% of desert coolers were broken, while shelter no. 251 at Sarai Kale Khan had no functional coolers. He also highlighted that the sanitation infrastructure within the shelter homes is in extremely poor condition, with toilets non-functional or inadequately maintained, and bathing facilities either absent or inaccessible.
Government Response
A government official responded that the summer action plan usually kicks in from May 15 every year, but this year it is being implemented early due to the rising mercury. All four of DUSIB's electrical divisions are working on a war footing to check all cooling infrastructure at the shelters and are immediately rectifying any deficiencies they come across.
