New Delhi: Behind the 17th century Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, an auto-parts market thrives by day, but on winter nights, the area is thronged by thousands of homeless who rent a quilt or a cot.
Early in the morning, a sea of huddled shapes under old quilts starts stirring, as people prepare to go to their sundry jobs. The bonfires are often re-lit from the ashes of the previous night and the area is abuzz with activity.
Bhanu Kumar, 14, who makes a living by selling flowers and knickknacks at an intersection in Old Delhi, is waiting for winters to end so he can save the money spent on renting a quilt and bed and send it to his family in Madhya Pradesh.
While the days have become warmer, the nights remain cold, with chilly winds making early mornings difficult for Bhanu and other homeless people like him in the capital. The prolonged cold wave, due to heavy snowfall in northern states, has kept the minimum temperature hovering around seven degrees Celsius. The recent showers too have added to the woes of the homeless.
Bhanu, who came to Delhi five years ago, initially stayed with his uncle but the latter soon left, leaving the boy homeless. “Earlier, I lived with my uncle. Now he’s gone back to the village and I live with Sunder and Abu,” he said, pointing to two younger kids who tag along wherever he goes. “The winters are very bad for children like us. Often we can’t make enough for two meals and a bed. I wish winters end soon so that I can save Rs.10 per day, which is now spent on renting a bed and quilt,” he added. The capital’s homeless have been banking upon bed renting services in the walled city for years to fight the bitter cold. More and more people prefer renting services to night shelters, for they find it convenient.
According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), there are some 56,000 homeless living on Delhi’s roads.
Qasim, a rickshaw-puller who arrived in Delhi more than 30 years ago from his village near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, has been coming to the area to sleep for years. “There are only two seasons for the poor, summers and winters. It’s an endless sequence of hardships. But winters are worse, as in summer one can just drop off anywhere for the night,” said Qasim.