Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered construction of 120 night shelters for destitutes and shelterless people in the next three months.

A Division Bench of the HC headed by Chief Justice A.S.Oka was hearing a petition filed by PUCL (Peoples Union for Civil Liberties) seeking a direction to the Government for constructing night shelters in urban areas under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM).

The Bench went through the submission made by NULM Project Officer, which said that there was a need for having  166 night shelters for destitutes who are more than one lakh in number in urban areas, according to a survey conducted in February 2021. 

The Court then directed the Government to immediately take up construction of 120 night shelters  with priority for construction in  Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Mysuru City Corporation limits. 

Pointing out that Bengaluru has only 10 night shelters and Hubballi-Dharwad and Mysuru City Corporations have only one each, the Court said that a total of 84 shelters should come up in BBMP limits and at least nine shelters each should be constructed in Mysuru and Hubballi-Dharwad. 

Instructing the Government to construct night shelters in next three months, the Court asked the Karnataka Legal Services Authority (KLSA) to authorise District Legal Services Authority (DLSAs) to  inspect the night shelters and submit a status report before Aug. 24, it is learnt.