Homeless take refuge in night shelters as cold wave grips Delhi

New Delhi [India]: As severe cold wave grapples the national capital, several people took refuge in the night shelters amid the inclement weather conditions.

The mercury level dipped to 5.4 degree celsius in New Delhi, as citizens battled severe cold wave and dense fog.

As the bone-chilling cold wave continued to sweep Delhi, homeless people were seen huddling in government-run night shelters. The night shelters in Delhi are aimed at providing a refuge to homeless people, who live on the streets and have nowhere else to go in the cold. The shelters offer blankets, beds, hot water, and food to those seeking shelter.

A caretaker from AIIMS shelter homes, Krishnakant Choudhary praised the Delhi government for providing “shelter homes with proper arrangements” to the homeless during the winters.

“At least 350 beds have been arranged in the AIIMS shelter and around 450 people stay here. The food is provided three times, quilts are being provided, every arrangement done by the Delhi government is in place”.

“We can easily get a bed here, new people come, old people leave and then beds are available; in that way, space is created for everyone. We are provided with best of facilities, ” a man seeking refuge at AIIMS shelter homes said.

“We get all sorts of facilities here. Blankets, bedsheets, beds everything here is proper. Sometimes when there are enough people in the shelter, then some have to return back,” a woman, seeking refuge in the AIIMS night shelter said.

The cold wave and fog conditions also impacted the day-to-day life of the commuters. As many as 39 passenger trains to Delhi are running behind schedule as dense fog conditions continue to prevail in the national capital, resulting in low visibility.

Zero visibility was reported at Delhi (Palam) Airport due to very dense fog conditions while Safdarjung Airport reported 200 m visibility in dense fog conditions on Friday morning.