While on an average 10 unidentified bodies were found on Delhi?s streets, only about 2,600 people out of more than 1,50,000 homeless could be accommodated in ?rain baseras? (night shelters), he said, stressing the urgent need to have a housing policy for the urban poor.

Contrary to belief, almost 90 per cent of the homeless were ?working? in the unorganised sector, so all the more reason they deserved a better deal, he added.

Mr Maken, a former Minister of Transport, Tourism and Power with the Delhi government, also sought that the Delhi Development Authority be confined to being a regulator and divested of its powers as promoter, developer and planner because it had lost sight of its duty to provide a roof over the urban poor.

The Delhi Government should get control over land in the Capital and construction of low cost housing should be taken up directly by it or facilitated through private investment or cooperatives, he said.

Such housing should in form of in-situ multi-storeyed complexes, he added.

Mr Maken also suggested construction of peripheral express highway for transit vehicles, especially goods carriers or heavy commercial vehicles, for decongesting Delhi and making the city?s roads safer on a priority basis.