Lampur Beggars Home to be renovated for housing mentally challenged in Delhi

Ananya Panda

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 26

If plans of Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam go well there may be some relief for 1050 inmates of Asha Kiran, the Delhi Government-run home for the mentally challenged people that currently houses patients more than double the sanctioned strength.

Gautam on Wednesday ordered the renovation of the 35-acre sprawling complex of Lampur Beggars Home so that it can be made available both for mentally challenged and for the rehabilitation of beggars.

The Lampur complex in Narela is lying unutilised since the last 10-12 years. Adjacently located to the home in Mamurpura village in Narela is another site of the social welfare department of about 12.50 acres which the minister said can be used for building a centre to promote skill development activities for physically challenged and beggars.

“We have a complex of about 35 acres where we can shift children and inmates of Asha Kiran after repairing it. Such a place has been wasted for years now. It just needs some renovation and is nearly ready to move. Its estimates have been ordered and once it is ready in10 days the tendering process will start,” said Gautam after he visited the beggars home and the Aasha Deep Mentally Challenged Home in Narela area yesterday.

The PWD Department has been assigned the work of renovating the Lampur complex while the social welfare department has been directed to expedite the work of Lampur complex.

Gautam also inspected the Mamurpura land and invited suggestions from all stakeholders on how best to utilise the place for welfare of the deprived and the needy.

The minister said currently there are three such homes for needy and mentally challenged run by the Delhi Government in the national capital and space is a major issue.

“Anyone who comes there has to be accommodated and we are trying best to shift them to a bigger home for individual and better care. Eighty per cent of people who come there for help are from adjoining states, but we can’t deny them stay,” said Gautam

Adding that the Lampur complex will be ready soon, the Delhi minister was critical about the Rs 350 crore project for housing mentally challenged that was proposed to be set up on about 10,000 acres of land by the Delhi Government in 2011-12 in the wake of the high court order.

“It is an extensive project and not viable, especially when we have alternative spaces, like Lampur which has a huge area with clean environment and can go on to have a capacity of 700 people,” he added.