Winter Wake-Up Call: Time to Blanket India's Forgotten Streets

This winter marks one of the coldest in years across northern India, with Delhi recording lows of 3.2°C to 4.6°C, well below seasonal norms. Such conditions prove deadly for the homeless, who number nearly 300,000 in Delhi alone according to Shahri Adhikar Manch estimates. The 2011 Census pegged national homelessness at 1.7 million, but experts view this as a severe undercount. Last winter saw 474 homeless deaths in Delhi per the National Forum for Homeless Housing Rights, while NCRB data shows over 19,000 cold wave fatalities nationwide from 1995-2020.

 

Key Highlights

States must prioritize expanded funding, better upkeep, and coordination across health, police, and housing departments to avert tragedy. The Rajasthan High Court in 2024 called shelter, clothing, food, and medicine the welfare state's bare minimum duty. Until root causes of homelessness ease, winters demand immediate, robust response.

 

Sources: Hindustan Times, Times of India, NDTV