Raen Basera is almost full of emptiness

strap: Caretakers blame Covid restrictions and movement of few trains

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Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, January 6

Despite severe cold wave gripping the city like any part in the northern India yet Raen Basera, a home for destitute, has not recorded any increase in the number of inmates.

The Covid-19 pandemic is said to be the reason behind it. Otherwise, the number of inmates increases parallelly with the temperatures dipping every year.

Vijay Kumar, an inmate, who has been living at Rambagh’s Raen Basera area for past four years, said it was for the first time that only seven persons were residing here. Otherwise, over 200 impoverished people, who are normally forced to live roadside, used to shift here which was housed in an abandoned hospital building.

The inmates here get bed, bathroom, medical facilities and food. A Red Cross vehicle ferries meal for them from the Golden Temple daily.

A caretaker at the Raen Basera says most of the destitute are habitual of consuming tobacco or alcohol. Since such activities are prohibited here, they prefer to stay out. Attempts to locate needy people and bring them to the place have not yielded much positive results. “If people stop giving them money, they will come here to live,” he opines.

Two units of Raen Basera are situated at the Gol Bagh with a combined strength of 100 beds. They also serve as shelter homes for those passengers who do not have funds to foot the bill of hotels. Caretakers state that since the movement of trains was negligible due to the farmers’ stir and previously owing to Covid-19, the footfall remained low all these months.

Yet there is no denying the fact that a huge number of beggars, especially children, are visible on city’s roads.

Blurb/Box: Only seven persons were residing. Usually, over 200 impoverished people, normally dwelling on roadsides, used to shift here which was housed in an abandoned hospital building.