The Hindu : New Delhi News : Capital gets its first night shelter for women

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Capital gets its first night shelter for women

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 13 . The Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, today inaugurated the Capital's first women's night shelter in Shankar Gali on Asaf Ali Road.

Mr. Mehta said a night shelter for women was long overdue. Having an initial capacity of 20 inmates, the shelter would soon be expanded to a capacity of 50 inmates, he said.

To be open daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Mr. Mehta said the MCD would not levy any charge on the inmates. Facilities including provision of blanket, blanket covers and durries have been provided in collaboration with a non-government organisation: Aurobindo Chaudhary Memorial Great India Dream Foundation.

The NGO has proposed to provide vocational training, health facilities and arrangements to make food for the inmates. Speaking on the occasion, the MCD Standing Committee Deputy Chairman, Ashok Jain, said the MCD was running as many as 12 night shelters having a combined capacity of 2,000 inmates.

"Of these two shelters at Fetehpuri-Railway station and Chandni Chowk are being run by another NGO, Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan," he said. Later in the evening, Mr. Mehta also inaugurated a night shelter at Yamuna Pushta. Having a capacity of 400 inmates the night shelter would be run by Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan. Apart from providing shelters, a food campaign has also been started to provide one hot meal to the homeless at a subsidised rate of Rs. 2, a media release said.

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