Delhi plans 100K smart streetlights to boost women’s safety

New Delhi:Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the government was working to install around 100,000smart streetlights across the Capital as female college students raised concerns over unsafe stretches, poor public transport and inadequate police response around educational institutions

New Delhi:Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the government was working to install around 100,000smart streetlights across the Capital as female college students raised concerns over unsafe stretches, poor public transport and inadequate police response around educational institutions.

At a meeting at the Mukhyamantri Jan Seva Sadan, students sought safety audits to identify dark spots, better street lighting, more pink police booths, increased patrolling by women police personnel and improved CCTV surveillance.

Gupta assured the students that their concerns would be taken up with the departments concerned and addressed on priority.

She said the proposed smart streetlights would be connected to the Integrated Command and Control Centre. An annual maintenance system would also be introduced to ensure timely repairs, with agencies required to fix faulty lights within a stipulated period.

Representatives from Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, Daulat Ram College, Jesus and Mary College, Maitreyi College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Bharati College and Janki Devi Memorial College, among others, raised concerns about safety areas surrounding campuses.

Poor public transport was another major concern. Students sought adequate DTC bus services for off-campus colleges and institutions in remote areas. They also called for buses to stop at designated bus stops, better traffic management and monitoring of areas with a high concentration of paying guest accommodations.

Students suggested setting up safety committees in every college, comprising the principal, student representatives and local police officers.

They stressed that women’s safety should not be used as a reason to restrict female students movement or participation in student politics and other activities, instead, authorities should ensure that women can pursue their education without fear.

Gupta said a WhatsApp group set up to connect students with officials would remain active, allowing them to report complaints directly. They could also approach senior police officers and officials of departments concerned if their grievances remained unresolved.

The chief minister said the government was committed to ensuring women’s safety, dignity and self-reliance, adding that concerns related to street lighting, police presence, public transport and grievance redressal would be addressed in coordination with the agencies concerned.