The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to prepare dedicated emergency response plans to shield patients and their attendants camping outside major government hospitals from the city’s extreme weather conditions.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a news report on the “pitiable condition” of families waiting outside AIIMS, a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia ordered that two seasonal short-term contingency action plans — one for heatwaves and one for coldwaves — be drawn up and implemented annually, subject to the approval of a designated monitoring committee.
The court emphasised that the summer plan must be prepared in January-February and rolled out by May, extendable through July-August. Likewise, the coldwave response must be readied between July and August and executed from December through February.
The action plans, once formulated, will be submitted for approval to the Principal District Judge (South) at a coordination meeting before implementation.
The bench took note of a status report submitted by AIIMS outlining ongoing efforts — in coordination with agencies like DUSIB, NDMC, MCD, CPWD, PWD, and Delhi Police — to provide shelter, food, safety, hygiene, and transportation to patients and their families waiting near hospital campuses.
The report stated that 750 shelter beds across various locations are currently operational and fully occupied. AIIMS staff and Delhi Police have actively relocated patients from footpaths to designated pagoda shelters, enhancing safety and shielding them from harsh weather.
Additionally, e-shuttles are being provided free-of-cost for internal movement within the AIIMS campus. Food aid is being offered through the non-profit Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses (SPYM), which supplies two meals and morning tea daily at the shelters.
Security has been ramped up with 24/7 deployment of AIIMS security staff and joint patrols with police during night hours. Hygiene conditions are being regularly monitored, and intensified sanitation drives have been ordered.
“As of January 22, all pagoda shelters were fully occupied at night,” the report noted, highlighting the persistent demand and need for better capacity management.
Appreciating the tangible results of the inter-agency collaboration, the High Court urged sustained planning and continued supervision to avoid lapses.
In an earlier hearing on January 16, Chief Justice Upadhyaya had urged the Delhi High Court Bar Association to mobilise funds for Vishram Sadan (rest houses) — citing its past contributions during crises like the Punjab floods.
On Monday, Bar Association President N Hariharan assured the court that steps were underway to collect contributions from the legal fraternity.
AIIMS, through its counsel, reaffirmed its humanitarian approach and commitment to ensuring that no attendant sleeps on the street. The institute has allotted land to DUSIB for constructing around 80 new night shelters and is also planning a 3,000-bed rest house for patient families.
The High Court will continue to monitor the matter closely, as the city braces for another cycle of extreme temperatures.
