What are the conditions like in Delhi's night shelters during winter?

Many shelters are overcrowded, lack basic amenities like hot water and clean toilets, and are unhygienic, failing to meet required norms.

Why are people sleeping on the streets outside AIIMS Delhi?

Night shelters are full, and patient-attendants and homeless individuals are turned away due to lack of space, forcing them to sleep outdoors in the cold.

What is Delhi's current temperature and weather forecast?

The minimum temperature has dropped to 4.2°C, the coldest in two years, with forecasts indicating possible cold wave conditions and moderate fog.

Home / Health / Delhi's Coldest Night: Shelters Full, Patients on Streets

Delhi's Coldest Night: Shelters Full, Patients on Streets

11 Jan

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Summary

Minimum temperature dropped to 4.2°C, the coldest in two years.
Night shelters are overcrowded, leaving many without a place to sleep.
Essential facilities like clean water and functioning toilets are lacking.

Delhi's Coldest Night: Shelters Full, Patients on Streets

Delhi faced its coldest night in two years on January 11, 2026, with the minimum temperature dropping to 4.2°C. Despite a 'very poor' air quality index and forecasts of cold wave conditions, many of the city's night shelters are operating beyond capacity, leaving individuals like tuberculosis patient Channu Shah sleeping on pavements outside hospitals. The severe lack of accommodation forces vulnerable people to endure freezing temperatures.

An inspection revealed that most of Delhi's night shelters are failing to meet prescribed norms. Deficiencies include overcrowding, lack of hot water, unhygienic conditions, and non-functional toilets. While the government stated 197 shelter homes are operational, this is insufficient to meet the demand, particularly around major hospitals where patient-attendants struggle to find shelter.