The Delhi government on Monday rolled out a five-day rescue and rehabilitation campaign aimed at identifying homeless and destitute people living on the streets and shifting them to shelter homes across the national capital. The initiative, launched by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, seeks to provide vulnerable individuals with food, shelter, treatment and long-term support.
Flagging off the rescue vans, Gupta said the campaign would initially run for five days, during which homeless people would be taken to shelters operated by Apna Ghar Ashram. She said authorities would evaluate the effectiveness of the programme before deciding whether to expand the scale of the operation.
The Chief minister said the rescued individuals would receive proper care and attention at the shelters. She added that the government’s focus was not limited to temporary accommodation but also extended to rehabilitation and welfare support for those living in vulnerable conditions across the city.
The campaign is being jointly conducted by the Delhi government’s Department of Social Welfare, Apna Ghar Ashram and Seva Bharti Delhi Prant. Officials said teams would fan out across major roads, marketplaces, railway areas and public spaces to identify people in need of assistance.
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Rescue operation across all districts
According to The Hindu, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said the drive would cover all 13 districts of the capital between May 11 and May 15. According to the minister, the objective is to bring helpless and destitute individuals into a safer environment where medical treatment, food and rehabilitation support can be arranged.
Authorities have deployed 19 rescue vehicles for the operation, with officials expecting more than 300 people to benefit from the initiative during the five days.
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Focus on care and rehabilitation
Officials involved in the campaign said the rescued individuals would undergo health assessments and receive counselling and support services wherever required. The government also plans to coordinate with NGOs and welfare organisations to ensure proper rehabilitation measures are put in place after the rescue process.
The initiative comes amid rising concerns over the condition of homeless populations in Delhi, especially during periods of extreme weather, and is being projected as part of the government’s broader welfare and social support efforts.
