Biting cold nightmare continues for Delhi's homeless
1/5
Homeless people in New Delhi
When midnight approaches in New Delhi and a freezing fog settles over the Indian capital, thousands of homeless people spread torn mattresses and blankets on the pavements and lie on them to keep warm.
2/5
Government shelter
Those who can’t afford the blankets spend the night around a smoldering fire built with garbage and discarded cardboard boxes. Others hunker down in a government shelter system.
3/5
Scores of people killed
It’s a scene that repeats itself every year when New Delhi experiences a harsh bout of winter cold, blamed for killing scores of homeless people and leaving tens of thousands of others shivering on the streets.
Amazon Top Deals
POWERED BY
Crompton Ozone 75 Litres Desert Air Cooler for home | Large & Easy Clean Ice Chamber | 4-Way Air Deflection | High Density Honeycomb Pads | Everlast Pump | Auto Fill| 3 Year Brand Warranty
₹9,999Buy Now42%
OFF
LG 32 L Convection Microwave Oven (MC3286BRUM, Black, 360° Motorised Rotisserie for Bar-be-queing, 301 Auto Cook Menu, Stainless steel cavity, Indian Cuisine, Tandoor Se, Steam Clean & Diet Fry)
₹19,090Buy Now20%
OFF
4/5
Weather extremes
New Delhi’s 20 million inhabitants are conditioned to various weather extremes, from blistering heat waves in the summer to thick, grey smog that envelopes the capital before the onset of the winter when a brutal cold wave sweeps most of northern India. The cold blankets streets in freezing fog so blinding that drivers cannot see cars in front of them, causing accidents.
5/5
Overcrowded
India’s 2011 census figures show about 47,000 of the city’s residents were homeless, but activists say the number is a vast underestimate and that New Delhi has more than 150,000 without permanent residences to sleep in. Official figures also show the city’s 195 homeless shelters can accommodate only about 19,000 people, leaving tens of thousands struggling to keep warm.