Andhra Pradesh High Court asks Vijayawada Municipal Corporation to set up a separate shelter for women too.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
A Division Bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court, comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati, has directed the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) Commissioner to conduct a drive immediately to shift destitute people, who are sleeping on pavements at night, to shelter homes and submit a report.
The Bench issued the directions to VMC Commissioner Dhyanachandra H.M., while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on December 24, the proceedings of which were uploaded online on Monday.
Expressing concern over the plight of homeless people sleeping on footpaths in Vijayawada, the Bench said it was surprised to learn that there were no night shelters for women in the city.
On being informed by the VMC’s Standing Counsel that there is a proposal for additional shelters in the city, including those for women, the Bench directed the municipal corporation to not waste time and set up a separate shelter for women too.
Noting that the problem may be prevalent in other cities and towns in the State, the Bench directed the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department to file an affidavit within two weeks regarding the steps that can be taken in district headquarters to ensure that destitute people, both men and women, do not sleep on the pavements.
The Bench said NGOs can be taken on board for providing safe shelters to people. The matter is posted for hearing to Wednesday.
Published – December 31, 2025 12:12 am IST
