Delhi High Court orders emergency shelters for homeless hospital patients during cold wave, citing right to life.

On January 14, 2026, the Delhi High Court ordered immediate action to provide shelter for homeless patients and attendants outside major hospitals amid a severe cold wave, citing violations of the constitutional right to life. The court directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board to convert hospital subways into temporary shelters and set up tents nearby, requiring cooperation from multiple agencies including AIIMS, Delhi Metro, police, and municipal bodies. It criticized the gap between official claims of adequate shelter and on-the-ground overcrowding, demanding compliance reports by January 16 after a high-level meeting on January 15.