New Delhi: Dark stretches around women’s colleges, inadequate streetlighting and complaints of flashing came under focus Wednesday as lieutenant governor TS Sandhu called for plainclothes surveillance around campuses and a real-time student safety app with emergency alerts and GPS-based location sharing.
At a meeting with principals of Delhi University ’s 10 women’s colleges, LG directed Public Works Department (PWD) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to repair streetlights and install high-mast lights on approach roads used by students, while ensuring adequate lighting and CCTV coverage at bus stops and on public stretches. Parks near colleges where drinking and substance abuse were reported were to be secured. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
He also ordered the removal of objectionable graffiti from college exterior walls and clearing of overgrown vegetation around campuses to improve visibility. On policing, Sandhu called for increased patrolling, PCR deployment and picket-checking around colleges, metro stations and isolated stretches, particularly during morning and evening hours. Additional personnel and Pink booths were sought in areas with high student footfall. Each college will have a nodal police officer to coordinate on complaints involving harassment, flashing and other safety concerns, backed by plainclothes surveillance and an emergency response mechanism. Safety audits around educational institutions were directed. Stationary buses parked near colleges, which create obstructed and isolated stretches, are to be removed. Principals and university officials flagged several concerns, including e-rickshaws, autos and taxis soliciting passengers and blocking college entrances, inadequate last-mile connectivity, encroached footpaths, unregulated vending, dark spots, unsafe parks and public toilets near campuses. LG directed MCD to remove unauthorised encroachments and vendors around colleges, men’s public washrooms and unauthorised taxi stands adjoining boundary walls, and relocate nearby dhalaos. On transport, Sandhu sought improved connectivity between colleges and metro stations through evening shuttle services, U-Special and metro feeder buses, besides dedicated pick-up and drop-off points for e-rickshaws and autos. A mechanism for reporting driver misconduct was also sought. Police and the women and child development department were asked to jointly conduct regular self-defence programmes, gender-sensitisation workshops and awareness campaigns for students. Sandhu directed DU and the higher education department to examine using govt accommodation as hostels and set up an inter-college women’s safety committee. He also sought uninterrupted mobile network connectivity across college localities. The meeting was also attended by the DU vice-chancellor, senior police officers, transport, MCD and PWD officials. Download the TOI App.