Chennai’s homeless shelters on paper, gaps persist on ground

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) lists 50 shelters functioning for the homeless across the city. But, in terms of sufficiency there’s a stark contrast between what’s recorded and exists on the ground.

One shelter run by an NGO on NSC Bose Road, which housed nearly 35 elderly men, is now shutting down. Partly because GCC is repurposing this land, said caretaker.

“The officials asked us to find another space, which we couldn’t afford due to fund crunches. So, we’re shifting some of the men here to Madhavaram,” added the caretaker.

Another shelter is under renovation, while a third one had shifted locations without the GCC website reflecting the change making it hard for tracking.

There are campaigns carried out on World Homeless Day and attempts to identify and assist homeless individuals. These shelters cater to boys, girls, senior citizens, and persons with mental health conditions. But the shelters are sparse, and not all are functional or accessible.

A GCC official confirmed that the count includes repurposed buildings such as former printing presses and Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs). The number has also not increased, despite plans.

In April 2023, the civic body announced that it would build 35 new modern shelters across zones. But, the progress is stalled. In 2024, the Corporation returned Rs 7.97 crore allocated for new shelters, citing non-availability of suitable land. A GCC official noted that they were fast-tracking the process.

Under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), every city must have at least one shelter per one lakh people. With over 80 lakh people, Chennai would need about 80 shelters.

Shelters are funded under the Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) scheme, with 60:40 cost-sharing between the Centre and the State. Land and infrastructure must come from the local body (GCC), while operational costs and salaries are covered by both governments. However, on-ground operations depend heavily on NGOs.

An official from the NGO ICWO, which manages one such shelter, pointed to financial strain: “It’s tough to maintain. Of course, land and salaries are given by the GCC, and only services are from our side. But how can a worker function on a salary of Rs 15,000? It has been the same for 10 years, with no raise.”

Vanessa Peter, from the Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), said staffing gaps affect service quality. “Human resources are grossly inadequate. From awareness to service, there are several stages involved, and the Corporation does not have adequate resources to handle it,” she opined.

Although NULM guidelines recommend each shelter should hold 100 people, most in the city have only around 50. “Shelters in Chennai are at least operational compared to other states, because GCC shares part of the funding. Yet, it’s not enough,” added Vanessa, who also called for a State-specific homeless policy. “One size does not fit all. Some migrant women may be alone with a child, and some elderly couples cannot stay separate. The government needs to come up with its own State policy. Yes, there is a central policy, but TN should set a precedent.”

The city’s effort to address homelessness is visible in parts, but with delayed implementation, funding hurdles, and lack of updated public information, the system continues to struggle.