Night shelters last hope for Delhi’s homeless during winter, but complaints remain

People living in small shelter homes complain of inadequate space and poor sanitation facilities

For 63-year-old Harisingh Gujjar, a migrant from Rajasthan, taking refuge at a night shelter near the city’s Nigam Bodh Ghat has become a regular affair.

Ignoring the stained pillow and a dirty blanket that lay on his bed, Gujjar — who first arrived at the shelter about four years ago — said he had no family but was more than happy to have a place to sleep. “I get tea twice a day, and hot meals to feast on. I can’t earn anymore, so what else would I need during the winter?” he said with a wry smile.

With temperatures in Delhi dipping to single digit earlier this week — going as low as 3.6 degrees Celsius — the city’s homeless have taken to night shelters to survive the bone-chilling cold.