₹2-cr LMC push fails to light bonfires at shelter homes in Lucknow!
Lucknow's night shelters lack basic facilities, leaving the homeless struggling amid freezing temperatures and inadequate wood supply for bonfires.
Questionable lack of facilities at Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC)-run night shelters has left the destitute struggling to survive amid freezing winter nights in Uttar Pradesh capital.

While temperatures have dropped to single digits, inadequate supplies of wood for bonfire, locked shelters during daytime and lack of proper monitoring have made life unbearable for the homeless seeking refuge during the chilly weather.
“The LMC is operating 25 permanent and 41 temporary shelters in the city. The civic body had allocated a budget of ₹1.5-2 crore for bonfire wood,” confirmed LMC’s chief finance officer Nand Ram Kureel. “We will check the situation. and take action against those responsible for the situation,” said additional municipal commissioner Lalit Kumar.
“The demand for bonfire wood has been increasing every year. The distribution is also coordinated based on the needs of area corporators and VIP requirements,” he added. “Some shelters have been equipped with halogen heaters,” Kumar said.
The homeless at the shelters, including the one opposite Hanuman Setu near Lucknow University, claimed that they receive barely 5 kg of wood per day. As per them, the supply runs out by mid-day. During a visit at seven key locations in the city where LMC has set up these shelters, HT found out that the one opposite Hanuman Setu was locked at 2pm on Monday, leaving the homeless waiting outside in desperation.
They said the staff often leave during the day, locking the shelter and depriving them of a safe space and compounding their miseries. Similar conditions prevailed at shelters near King George’s Medical University (KGMU). At the Trauma Centre and Gandhi Ward shelters, residents resorted to burning garbage due to insufficient wood. According to an LMC official, each shelter is allocated 80-90 kg of wood daily, but the people allege that the supply is far less.
The city has about 1,500 locations for bonfires and all these places are listed on Aapda Prahari app. “We are sending ample amount of wood to each listed location, including shelters and other areas,” said the additional municipal commissioner.
At the Qaiserbagh bus stand shelter, basic facilities were missing altogether. Although sleeping arrangements were made, no bonfire wood was provided. Residents said they are forced to procure wood themselves to survive the harsh night temperatures.
The situation near Charbagh railway station was even worse as no shelter was visible in the area. With thousands travelling through the station daily, the absence of a shelter leaves the homeless entirely unprotected from the cold conditions.
Similar conditions were witnessed at Husadiya and Mithaiwala intersections where there was no wood for bonfire. Same was the situation at the engineering college intersection and other areas. The homeless, who depend on these shelters for survival, are demanding immediate intervention of the authorities concerned.
“We are currently unable to monitor all locations. We have informed all the zonal in charges and engineers to keep an eye on the situation,” the additional municipal commissioner said.
