New Delhi: The Haj Manzil near Delhi's Turkman Gate has been home to around 70 senior citizens and students — mostly abandoned to the streets by their families — for over two years now thanks to the Delhi government. But these residents now fear the roof over their heads will soon be gone after orders from the DUSIB to convert the building back into a home for Haj pilgrims.
While the building was initially meant for Haj pilgrims, it was converted into a shelter home as the pandemic was beginning. Since then, around 67-68 residents have been living here.
But even as these residents have now been left with nowhere to go, the real concern is for senior citizens who have no work and have no family.
Sandeep Sagar who is a caretaker of Haj Manzil shelter home said that the order issued by DUSIB (Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board) which includes that the night shelter code number 626 couldn't be granted an extension and they should hand over the building to be used for housing pilgrims.
Arjun Singh, 70, has been staying in the Haj Manzil shelter home since the pandemic. "I don't have a place to go. I have come here from the footpath and in this scorching heat, the government is planning to vacate us to the footpath again. At this age, nobody is giving me work. Where should I live? What should I eat without money? I don't have any family members," he said, teary-eyed.
24-year-old Deepak Kumar from Indore is also a resident of the shelter home. He grew up on the streets and with the help of an NGO had managed to finish his schooling and is now studying at the Delhi University's School of Open Learning while also working at a vaccination centre. "My exams are near and I have to go to the streets again? I am uncertain about my future now," he said.
The DUSIB has said that the building must be handed back to authorities to be converted fully back into a home for pilgrims. Now, uncertain about their future, the residents have made desperate pleas to as many authorities as possible. They have written to the local police, the National Human Rights Commission, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi L-G Anil Baijal — seeking that they somehow be rehabilitated or moved to another shelter home.
Rajkumar Singh, 46, has been staying in the shelter home for 6 months. He originally belong to Balia, UP and was abandoned by his family. While circumstances brought him to Delhi, he has been diagnosed with a heart condition and has been advised by doctors not to engage in physical labour.
He said, "I have been living with a heart problem and being abandoned by my family members have no place to live? What will I do now? Now I feel, I have been abandoned by the government too. Nobody is there to take care of us."