Talking to APP he said that a shelter home, to provide proper accommodation facility to homeless people, would be inaugurated here during next week.

He said the project was being launched to facilitate the poor. He said initially arrangements for 150 persons were being made in the basement of Raja Bazar Parking Plaza, however, the facility would be enhanced gradually for 600 to 700 homeless citizens.

He said, the basement was being used as a shelter home temporarily while a proper shelter home’s building would be constructed after pointing out a suitable place for the purpose, he added.

He said, the basement of the parking plaza was finalized as the government wanted to start the homes as soon as possible to provide shelter to people in the harsh winter.

“The project is aimed at restoring the self-respect of those who spend the night under the open sky,” he said and added that it was also aimed at broadening the circle of the state’s social responsibility.

To a question, the chairman informed that expenditures of the shelter home would be borne through donations by philanthropists.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier, RDA had planned to establish the shelter in the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) building on main Liaquat Road, in front of Government Gordon College. After some legal obstacles in the plan, the RDA had to change the plan but could not find another suitable place in the city for homeless people.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the Punjab government to establish a shelter home in Rawalpindi so people who sleep in the open could sleep at safe place during the harsh winter and could be provided three times meals.