New Year’s celebration, like other festivities, does not only show glam and glitter of the haves who flock to malls and multiplexes to enjoy year-end revelries, but the event also points toward the ugly rich-poor divide. 

The reality, perhaps, bites the most to the homeless who are bare witnesses to the ugly reality. 

With despondent eyes they look at the glistening brightness; luster and sheen even as battling for survival in the bone-chilling cold across the national capital. 

"What is New Year? My only priority is to save my child from the cold," said Rekha, adding that they are forced to sleep on the street under the sky. 

She further said that the three shelter homes erected nearby the flyover are already overcrowded. 

"We have no space for extra people", claimed the caretaker of one shelter home. 

Like Rekha many homeless expressed same view about the New Year. 

"For us it will be a celebration when we get at least a roof. This night is as miserable as any other night," said Nand Lal, another homeless. 

He further said that they have been welcoming New Year for the past 15 years, but there is no change in their lives. 

Thirty-four-year-old Jyoti, who along with her son and husband sleeps under Sarai Kale Khan flyover, has only one tattered blanket for three of the family. 

"We are homeless as well as hopeless and we have nothing to cheer the New Year," said Jyoti.

Though Delhi government claims to have erected many shelter homes across the city yet several homeless feel that street is better place to live than that of shelter homes. Accusing the authorities for mismanagement, two brothers Rajan (name changed) and Raju (name changed) feel the shelter homes are unsuitable for minor to live. 

"They are all ganged up," Rajan sighs. 

"I mean the caretakers and other men, who know when they steal my stuff. I work from 7am to 11 pm. We hardly save from what we earn, what’s the use if that little is snatched away?" 

One of the most important reasons, cited by the homeless, for avoiding shelter homes is lack of hygiene. 

"The blankets provided at these shelters are unwashed and smelly. We do not know who slept on those bedrolls before us and they are usually full of lice, bedbugs and other ticks," said 15-year-old Amit. 

According to Centre of Holistic Development (CHD), an NGO, more than 1000 homeless people still sleeps on the street in winter nights. 

"During our night vigil we found more than 1000 homeless people sleeping on the street of the Capital," said Sunil Aledia from CHD. 

According to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, they have more than 150 night shelters including permanent and porta cabins.