New Delhi, May 19: With many patients’ attendants spending nights outside hospitals in sweltering heat, the Delhi government has converted schools and community halls near four major hospitals into temporary summer shelters offering free stay and basic facilities.
An official told PTI that shelters — the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) initiative — have opened near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital.
Operational since May 15, the facilities set up in in schools and community halls of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), will remain open until July 15.
The official said many attendants, particularly those arriving from outside Delhi, are often forced to spend nights outside hospitals, bus stands or on pavements due to financial constraints and lack of accommodation options.
“During summer, several attendants stay outside hospitals and nearby public places in extreme heat conditions. These shelters aim to give them relief during the heatwave,” he explained.
The official said the shelters are equipped with facilities similar to DUSIB night shelters, including beds, coolers, fans, meals, ORS packets, drinking water dispensers, mobile toilets and caretakers.
“Since pagoda tents used during the winter season are not feasible during peak summer, temporary shelters have been set up in nearby schools and community centres,” he said.
DUSIB has put up posters inside the four hospitals to spread awareness about the facility, he said.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius, 1.7 notches above the seasonal average. The weather department has predicted an orange alert for a heatwave lasting one week.
