Chandigarh Mayor Saurabh Joshi carrying out a surprise inspection at a night shelter opposite PGIMER on Saturday night (Express Photo)Chandigarh Mayor Saurabh Joshi carried out a surprise inspection of a night shelter opposite the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) late Saturday night, uncovering serious lapses in maintenance and basic amenities.ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEOThe shelter mainly serves families of outstation patients undergoing treatment at PGIMER and is supposed to offer free stay.The Mayor reached the facility around 11 pm in his personal vehicle, accompanied only by his private staff. He spent nearly 20 minutes on the spot and broadcast the entire visit live on Facebook, interacting with both residents and personnel for full public accountability.What Joshi found was deeply concerning. The premises were in a shabby state with visible dirt, an untidy tent, and loose electrical wires hanging dangerously. Heaters — vital in the winter chill — were switched off and kept exclusively for the four security guards on duty, leaving the staying families without any warmth. No first-aid box was present anywhere on the site, nor was there a drinking water facility, but an empty refill bottle was lying around. Fire-safety equipment was there, but its upkeep and staff familiarity with it appeared questionable.Staffing and oversight were equally poor. Only guards were managing the shelter; the supervisor had reportedly been removed from service, and one of the personnel looked unusually young.Contact numbers listed on the site for senior officials were either disconnected or went unanswered. The Sub-Divisional Officer’s phone was switched off, while Junior Engineer Manoj responded after some delay and said he was in Ahmedabad.Joshi spoke directly with the families staying there, who confirmed they were not charged any fee. He reminded everyone that the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is responsible for running these shelters properly. Over the phone, he issued clear instructions for immediate improvements — thorough cleaning, water restoration, heaters for residents, and installation of a first-aid kit by the next day.Story continues below this adDescribing the visit as the “first notice”, the Mayor warned the contractor that any repeat failure would lead to the contract being cancelled and the civic body taking direct charge of the shelter. He stressed that such surprise checks would continue to stop any attempts to hide shortcomings.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd