Delhi's Asha Kiran Shelter Home Finds Limited Relief After Years of Crisis
For years, Asha Kiran in Rohini, one of Delhi's largest shelter homes for individuals with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, was plagued by severe overcrowding. Wards consistently exceeded their capacities, forcing residents to share mattresses in cramped conditions. This dire situation was compounded by frequent deaths, many attributed to illnesses stemming from poor living standards, drawing public outrage and judicial scrutiny.
Historical Overcrowding and Failed Interventions
The shelter's troubles date back over a decade. In 2010, a ministerial committee was established following 57 deaths at the complex in 2009 and 2010, recommending immediate decongestion. At that time, Asha Kiran housed around 970 residents, far surpassing its designated capacity of 570. Despite this, a 2015 Comptroller and Auditor General audit highlighted that earlier recommendations remained unimplemented, with severe overcrowding persisting. While the Delhi government acknowledged the issue, progress was slow until mid-2024, when the crisis escalated dramatically.
Judicial Action and Escalating Fatalities
Between January and July 2024, more than 20 residents died, including at least 14 fatalities reported in July alone. This spike in deaths triggered suo motu action by the National Human Rights Commission and sustained intervention by the Delhi High Court. The court ordered audits of residents' health and water quality, and directed authorities to urgently decongest the shelter by relocating residents to alternative facilities. Since late 2024, the matter has remained under judicial monitoring, with the government mandated to identify new premises, upgrade existing shelters, and submit regular compliance reports.
New Facilities and Relocation Efforts
In this context, the Atal Asha Home in Narela, a Rs 41-crore facility with a capacity of 220 residents, was inaugurated last year. Simultaneously, male residents of Asha Kiran began being relocated in smaller batches: 30 to Asha Deep, another shelter home, and 34 to a Delhi Development Authority community centre. This triggered a domino effect. Asha Deep, previously a male-only shelter with 120 residents, saw its occupancy rise to 150, and soon all 150 men were moved to Atal Asha Home. This emptied Asha Deep, allowing it to be repurposed for women.
Current Occupancy and Ongoing Challenges
Fifty women were shifted from Asha Kiran to Asha Jyoti and 150 to Asha Deep, reducing the occupancy of Asha Kiran's women wing by nearly 40%. Currently, Asha Jyoti houses 170 residents, Asha Deep 150, Atal Asha 150, and the community centre 34. This redistribution has resulted in Asha Kiran's occupancy decreasing by nearly 27%, from 984 to 720 residents. While the Rohini shelter, long synonymous with neglect and overcrowding, still houses more people than its sanctioned capacity, spreading the load across multiple facilities marks the government's first sustained effort toward providing personalized care and support for social inclusion.
The improvements, though limited in scope, offer a glimmer of hope for residents who have endured years of hardship, highlighting the critical role of judicial oversight in addressing systemic failures in social welfare.
