Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his office
The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has hit upon a novel idea of providing night-shelters for the city's homeless. It has now embarked upon a plan to convert abandoned buses into temporary refuge for people who are forced to sleep in the open. (
Donate blankets for Delhi's homeless)
"All abandoned buses in Delhi are being modified into night shelters. These buses will be provided with blankets and other basic amenities so that the homeless can at the least sleep properly," a post on the AAP's Facebook page said.
As part of its outreach to the common man, the newly-elected AAP government has undertaken a drive to provide refuge to the homeless, in an attempt to shield them from the chilly conditions. Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal had, soon after being sworn in, directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrates to identify the number of homeless in the city and ensure that they were provided succour during the nights.
His Cabinet colleague and Urban Development Minister Manish Sisodia had told newspersons on January 3 that the Sub-Divisional Magistrates had, after undertaking a proper survey, found that there were 4,018 people sleeping in the open at 212 locations across the city.
As part of the exercise to provide the homeless with roofs to sleep under during the nights, the AAP government has now decided to build 100 new night shelters "in the coming days." These structures, it hopes, will enable the homeless to brave the winter chill.