DCW seeks action plan for demolition on GB Road

The DCW has sought an action plan and timeline from North MCD for demolition of illegal structures, especially 'tehkhanas', in brothels at G B Road.

Tehkhanas are hidden cells where trafficked girls are often hidden by brothel owners, mostly out of fear of being caught.

With a view to ascertain the ownership of the brothels operating at G B Road, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW)  has also asked the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) to provide ownership record, house tax record, receipts and other relevant records.

G B Road or Swami Shradhanand Marg, falls within the jurisdiction of North MCD.
"Over the past one year, the Delhi Commission for Women has made several visits and inspections to the brothels at GB Road. The Commission has been appalled to note the presence of several illegal structures within the brothels which include tehkhanas – hidden cells that are often used by brothel owners to hide trafficked girls," the commission said in a notice issued to the commissioner of the civic agency on Monday.

"The commission has been conducting regular meetings with police, government and North MCD to identify the owners of the brothels and to ensure that these tehkhanas are demolished. The Commission has been repeatedly requesting North MCD to demolish the tehkhanas within the brothels and provide ownership details of the brothels, yet the same has not happened till date," it added.

Recently, the DCW had found that no government agency in the national capital seems to know of the actual owners of the brothels operating in GB Road area.

The commission had asked various government agencies like Delhi Jal Board (DJB), municipal corporations, Delhi Police, Women and Child Department (WCD), etc to ascertain the ownership of brothels. However, in a meeting convened in August, all agencies failed to provide any record of the ownership.

Under the law, if a minor is rescued from a brothel, it should be closed down and a FIR should be registered against the owners. But in case of GB Road, the owners are untraceable. FIRs are therefore registered against those identified as ‘managers’ who are mostly sex workers and have been living in the brothels for long.

The DCW has asked the corporation to give the information in 48 hours, “noting the urgency of the matter”.