Lucknow, Dec. 15 -- While Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) was setting up temporary night shelters across the state capital, ensuring that all facilities became fully functional by the Monday deadline was a major challenge, LMC executive engineer Atul Mishra said on Sunday. "Temporary shelters have started coming up, but making all of them operational by December 15 will be challenging," Mishra said, indicating delays in execution despite mounting pressure. As per the winter action plan, the city is expected to operate around 40 temporary shelters this year by Monday. However, none were functional as of Sunday. According to the official, at least six temporary shelters are currently being set up in the Gomti Nagar area alone. The identified locations include Mithaiwala, Vineet Khand, and Gomti Nagar railway station, which witness a high concentration of homeless people during the night. The development comes at a time when night temperatures in Lucknow are dipping steadily. Temporary night shelters are meant to act as an overflow arrangement during peak winter months, supplementing the city's permanent shelter infrastructure. Earlier, the civic body had faced criticism for failing to set up any temporary shelters even as the cold intensified. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar had issued strict directions and warned officials against negligence. The slow progress, however, raised questions over LMC's preparedness despite repeated assurances. LMC officials maintained that nearly Rs 2 crore has been allocated for the upgradation and expansion of shelter facilities this winter. While all 25 permanent night shelters in the city had been modernised, temporary shelters-critical for managing additional footfall during extreme cold-were facing delays, they said....