Task force discusses women's safety, MHA focuses on last-mile connectivity

Reviewing the measures taken to ensure women’s safety in Delhi, the Union Home Ministry on Thursday asked civic agencies to ensure lighting on dimly lit vulnerable roads and last-mile connectivity from Metro stations.

At the ninth meeting of the special task force set up to look into issues related to safety and security of women, Union Home Secretary L C Goyal also asked officers to implement developmental work required for growth of Delhi as a smart city. He said the NDMC and MCDs should improve the condition of roads, water and sewerage in their areas.

He highlighted the need to focus on issues of GPS and GPRS-based tracking system and CCTVs in DTC busses.

“Streetlight and last-mile connectivity to the houses from Metro stations through suitable mode such as e-rickshaws, autos, shuttle service or any other cheap transport should be encouraged,” he said.

At the meeting, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi said the force has taken up a scheme to provide self-defence training to one lakh girls.

Delhi Police have planned to train about one lakh girls in self-defence training and about 66,190 girls have been trained in this field so far this year, Bassi said at the meeting. The task force was also informed that self-defence is being included in the syllabus of schools by the concerned authorities.

Bassi said chargesheets are now being registered in the shortest possible time and the quality of investigation is being improved.

The meeting was attended by the chairperson Delhi Commission for Women, Chief Secretary Delhi, Commissioner of Police Delhi, heads of different departments of the Delhi government and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs and other concerned central ministries. Representatives of the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments also attended the meeting.