Capital disconnect: Women helpline numbers busy or do not ‘exist’

The shocking gangrape case in Gurgaon has raised several questions. One of them is: Are enough safety measures being taken to curb such incidents?

The shocking gangrape case in Gurgaon has raised several questions. One of them is: Are enough safety measures being taken to curb such incidents?

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Though the state government has been trying to rid the city of its ‘Rape Capital’ tag, basic steps that can make a difference are not being paid much attention. The much-publicised women helpline numbers of Delhi Police aren’t of much use as many of them don’t work.

Delhi Police PRO, Rajan Bhagat, on being contacted, said, "It’s easy to criticise but no one notices the effort that we (Delhi Police) are putting in."

HT tried out numbers given on various government sites and found that while 1091, the women helpline number, responded instantly during afternoons and evenings, night callers had to wait for as long as 60 seconds and still don’t get through. Most of the other numbers were either busy or didn’t exist.

“Once I was commuting late at night when two bikers started following me. I called the helpline but they never answered,” says Megha Bindra, 27.

Ranjana Kumari, director, Centre for Social Research, says, “Linkages have to be created so that on finding one line busy, the caller gets connected to another line.”