“It is very cold, they gave us these blankets, we have no option but to stay here,” said Bachkan, who belongs to Khagadiya in Bihar.
It's a community of those in need and desperate for help.
Next to them sits Sushma Devi, suffering with an ulcer in her foot which needs to be operated.
“The had given us time for surgery yesterday (Wednesday), but cancelled it. It is very difficult to stay here in the open like a homeless, but what can we do,” Sushma Devi told IANS.
A few feet away, Babbo, a woman in her 60s, complains that they have no food either.
“We would be grateful if you can get us some food, it is a big problem,” she said.
It's a sorry story, repeated each day of Delhi's searing summer and harsh winters.
AIIMS has a shelter with a capacity of 650 beds. However, with the large number of patients coming from far corners of the country, the shelter proves to be insufficient, forcing many to spend nights in open.
As per official figures, AIIMS gets over 7,000 patients every day, but has less than a 2,000 bed capacity. According to its website, it has 1,323 doctors and 1,810 nurses.
Social welfare officer Preeti Ahluwalia refused to comment when contacted.
