No GHMC shelter for destitute in Old City

Senior citizens, beggars occupy benches at bus stands

CURRENTLY, THERE are 21 night shelters in GHMC limits and 7 of them are located inside the premises of government hospitals. GHMC has no dedicated shelter home in Old City.

It may sound bizarre but the fact is that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has not set up even one shelter home for the homeless in Old City till date.

Despite directions from the High Court, authorities from the civic body have ignored the issue despite a crying demand for it.

As a result, orphans, destitute, senior citizens and beggars occupy benches at bus stands, under flyovers or wait for shop owners to down their shutters so that they could occupy the footpath. Many citizens have been complaining about the nuisance so created. “I frequently travel by bus from MJ Market to Falaknuma. When I got down near Charminar, I was dismayed that most of the space at bus shelters was occupied by beggars or ailing elderly people. Added to that is the foul-smell that emanates because people use them as open urinals,” Mohammed Akram, a private employee, said.

G. Rajesh, RTC conductor at Falaknuma depot, said, “Passengers have been complaining about the shelterless occupying benches in our depots and bus stops in the Old City. Commuters complain that they cannot sit on the benches as they are always occupied by the homeless.”

“Life without food and shelter is hell. It will worsen if even now the GHMC does not build shelter homes. During my interaction with such homeless people, I found that most were orphans or senior citizens thrown out by their children. This is a very serious issue and needs to be resolved soon,” said B. Madhusudhan Reddy, a social worker.

When contacted Ashok Samrat, GHMC zonal commissioner refused to comment.

Currently, there are 21 night shelters in GHMC limits and seven of them are located inside the premises of government hospitals, including OGH, ENT hospital, Niloufer, Mahavir, NIMS, Koti maternity hospital and Nampally government hospital. GHMC has no dedicated shelter home in the Old City, from where most of the shelter-less are found in GHMC limits.

The civic body has also failed to implement its 2016 decision to construct 300 ultra-modern bus-bays.