Raen Baseras (night Shelters) in the city craving for maintenance since long are finally being given a facelift, making it worth residing for the poor people. The buildings in the city have been lying defunct since past several years from now.
As per the records of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), as many as 13 Raen-Baseras are under its jurisdiction. In accordance to the new proposal, all Raen-Baseras will be under the surveillance of high resolution CCTV Cameras for better management.
Also, besides the selected agencies, managing the affairs of Raen-Baseras located at RIMS, Bakri Bazaar, Doranda AG More, Karbala Chowk, Seva Sadan, Jagannath Temple, Madhukam, Khadgarha bus stand and Pahari Temple (Raen-Baseras for women) special teams will present a weekly report of the night shelters. “All Raen-Baseras will have CCTVs installed there. As per the proposal, four CCTV cameras will be installed at two-storey buildings while two CCTV cameras will be decked up at one-storey structures. Further, four teams of community organisers in collaboration with the empanelled agency personnel will have to submit a weekly report with Global Positing System (GPS) photographs attached with the report to the nodal officer,” said RMC City Manager and Project Head, Vikash Kumar.
Kumar and the team of City Managers said that a catalogue maintenance system will be also followed at each night shelter, marking the record of day to day affairs of staffs and their working hours, daily wage tasks, number of poor staying there and others. According to the City Managers, the work of renovating the night shelters at present is being accomplished with the funds of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) as the financial assistance from the State government is awaited for this specific work. The project DAY-NULM aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households through building strong grassroots level institutions of the poor. The City Manager said that attempts are being made to start the service of around 11 night shelters simultaneously within a few days. “After the contract of the previous agencies was over, four new agencies have been empanelled. Jharkhand Infratech has been given the charge of seven night shelters, of which, six Raen Baseras have been handed over to the Municipal Corporation while the other five will be handed soon. For rest two new 50-bedded night shelters which will come up at Khadgarha Bus Stand, tenders have been floated.”
The night shelters will also have facilities like TVs, a game room, cushions, pillows, bed-sheets, blankets, quilts, mosquito-nets for those vagrants living there on temporary basis.
On December 13, Minister -- Department of Urban Development, Housing and Planning, CP Singh along with senior district administration officials took stock of arrangements done for urban poor especially those who are reluctant to spent their night alongside roads.
The Minister during the surprise inspection instructed the officials to make proper arrangement for homeless people at the Raen-Baseras without much delay.