City residents put together parallel policing initiative

Vouching for a parallel policing system to make Gurgaon a safer city for women, social activist and retired IPS officer Dr Kiran Bedi and residents have decided to set up a public-police control room for women in distress.

Vouching for a parallel policing system to make Gurgaon a safer city for women, social activist and retired IPS officer Dr Kiran Bedi and residents have decided to set up a public-police control room for women in distress.

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A decision to this effect was taken at a workshop conducted by citizens' group, Gurgaon First, in the city on Wednesday.

Bedi was the chief guest of the workshop titled 'Making Gurgaon a Safer Place for Women' at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

Residents questioned the police's ability to thwart crimes in Gurgaon and pondered on what ordinary citizens could do.

Several residents, members of RWAs, NGOs, corporates along with Bedi floated the idea of community policing. They are likely to launch the public-police control room on Republic Day, January 26. The system will run parallel to the Gurgaon police's control rooms and PCR vans.

The main objective is to have a helpline number where women can call in case the police do not respond or react.

This community control room would then force the police to take action on the complaint of the caller.

Bedi said, "The people and police have to connect with each other for better functioning and prevention of crimes. Gurgaon is very vulnerable and needs a crime prevention plan."

The other critical issue raised was that of city planning and designing for access to all sections of society.

Dr Kalpana Viswanath, senior advisor of NGO Jagori, said, "Markets and parks need to be designed well. Pedestrian subways are not safe unless they are well-lit and have shops. Besides, we need to have reliable public transport system to ensure that our streets are not lonely."

The participants also expressed outrage when the police and administration delegation did not turn up at the workshop.

Bedi also spoke about involving the National Social Service and National Cadet Corps and collaborative action comprising 6Ps: people, police, prosecution, politicians, press and prisons.

"Gurgaon citizens should get together to conduct social audits of police stations. Each constable will then be answerable and accountable," she said.