Amaravati, January 13, 2026: A Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, headed by Chief Justice Dheeraj Singh Thakur, rebuked the state government for its inaction on shelter homes for people living on streets and footpaths.
The court stressed the need to treat the homeless with dignity and avoid harsh relocations without proper options. It noted a glaring lack of facilities in most districts beyond Vijayawada, where just four shelters fall short for hundreds identified as homeless.
The bench directed authorities to establish at least two shelters per district one exclusively for women with convenient locations near work areas and medical support. It also ordered the Chief Secretary to activate regular monitoring committee meetings and file a progress report in three weeks.
For Vijayawada, where around 750 homeless men were recently counted, the Municipal Commissioner must add six more shelters, possibly by leasing private spaces, and update the court by January 28.
