New Delhi: Homeless people living in the city struggle to cope with winters chill every year especially those who lives in the vicinity of Yamuna river. However, several agencies take adequate measures to minimise their woes during these bone-chilling days. Similarly, in a recent move, the Delhi Police Headquarters (PHQ) has asked its districts and units to interact with homeless living inside shelter homes and provide them assistance related to safety and security. "All ACsP and SHOs and Zone in-charge of PCR unit under your (DCsP) respective jurisdiction may please be directed to ensure proper regular visit and patrolling to keep sharp vigil in all night shelters and provide all assistance as and when required in connection with their safety and security for maintaining law and order," reads a letter written from PHQ. The letter further stated, "The concerned police officers may also be directed to provide assistance to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) rescue teams constituted for the rescue of homeless persons to the nearby night shelters in case of any law and order problem." Sources said that the following move came after an inter-departmental meeting held at Delhi Secretariat in November over extending better facilities to homeless people in DUSIB shelter home during the winter season. Sources said that the city police was told in the meeting to ensure that during night hours, no homeless should sleep on the road berms, open spaces or parks in the winter season and accordingly, the directions be given to concern ACsP and SHOs for getting them shifted to the nearby shelter homes through rescue teams of shelter management agencies deployed by DUSIB. Sources further said that during the meeting, a senior DUSIB official explained to the meeting attendees about the issues regarding proper operation and maintenance of shelter homes. He further highlighted the preparedness of DUSIB for the homeless population in more than 190 shelter homes across the city, having the capacity of over 16,000 people. "About 60-70 tented shelters will be set up by DUSIB at various locations, more likely from December 1 for accommodating additional homeless people during the winter season, thus increasing the overall capacity of shelter homes to approx 18,400 persons," the official told in the meeting. A central control room is also functional at DUSIB headquarter at ITO, on 24X7 basis where any complaint and information about homeless people can be sent at landline numbers.

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