The Delhi High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the acute shortage of night shelters in the capital amid an intense cold wave. The Court directed authorities to act urgently to protect homeless residents from freezing conditions.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court initiated suo motu proceedings after taking note of the severe lack of capacity and essential amenities in night shelters across the capital, at a time when Delhi is facing harsh winter conditions.
A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia instructed the Centre, the Delhi government, and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to submit their responses addressing the situation.
Expressing concern over the situation of homeless residents, the High Court made strong oral observations, emphasizing the need for empathy and immediate action.
“If any of us, God forbid, is required to stay there for a night, we don’t know what will happen. Be sensitive,”
the Court remarked.
The Bench stated that it expects all concerned authorities to take urgent and adequate steps to ensure that residents are protected from the chilling winter conditions.
The Court noted that the matter would be taken up again on January 14, after reviewing the responses filed by the concerned authorities.
The suo motu proceedings were initiated after the issue was brought to the Court’s attention by another Bench comprising Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla.
The High Court relied on a news report published in The Hindu on January 11, which highlighted alarming ground realities in the capital.
According to the report:
- Temperatures in Delhi had fallen below 5°C
- Several AIIMS patients and their families were forced to sleep outside the AIIMS Metro Station
- Many were left without access to night shelters due to a lack of space
- People had arrived from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Bihar
- Most had no financial means to afford paid accommodation in Delhi
The Court highlighted that providing shelter during extreme weather is a humanitarian and constitutional obligation, particularly for vulnerable populations such as patients, attendants, migrant workers, and the homeless.