THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI

•  LG chairs 18th Meeting of the Task Force on Women Safety
•  Issues specific instructions with regards to enhanced visible policing, fast tracking of construction of Court Buildings and integration of PWD street lights with the 311 APP

The Lt. Governor Shri V.K. Saxena today chaired the 18th Meeting of the Task Force on Women safety in Delhi and issued specific instructions with regards to various agenda items.  At the outset, reviewing the status of Judges’ vacancy in Fast Track Courts for women safety, which was discussed in the 17th Meeting of the Task Force, the LG was informed that there have been progress and 32 Judges have been appointed in these Courts, but there was an acute shortage of Court Rooms for functioning of these Courts. The PWD informed the LG that the matter related to construction of Court Rooms was pending with the State Government, since 2017-18 and no decision has been taken in this regard till now. 

Expressing concern over this delay in a matter as important as pertaining to creation of infrastructure in Courts, the LG said that he will take up this issue with the Chief Minister so as to ensure completion of the projects at the earliest, so that the objective enhancing the judicial infrastructure with regards to women safety could be achieved. 

Similarly, the LG was informed that replacing the existing PWD street lights with new LED ones and integration of all street lights was pending with the State Government. The LG took exception of this inordinate delay and directed the PWD to expedite the work and said he would flag this issue as well with the Chief Minister in the next review meeting. 

Shri Saxena emphasized upon the need of visible policing, and to this effect issued instructions for enhancing police presence at all times in all localities of the Capital, particularly on the dark spots and vulnerable stretches. To this end, the LG was informed by Delhi Police that nearly 6,000 police personnel including about 3,000 women were expected to be appointed soon, and this, in turn, will ensure larger police presence in the Capital. The LG reiterated the need to increase the percentage of women police personnel in the force. 

Shri Saxena also underlined that even as policing could deter crime for achieving the larger goal of women safety and security, a comprehensive change in social mindset and basic approach of men towards women, needed to be brought about.  He stressed upon the need to augment campaigns of sensitizing young and adolescent boys through gender workshops and suitably amended curricula by the Education Department and other concerned agencies, with the view of mitigating social mores and practices that encourage objectification of women.   
  
Reviewing the matter of illumination of dark spots and timely repair/replacement of street lights, while expressing satisfaction over the pace of work since the last meeting, the LG took exception that something as basic as street lighting- its installation, repair and maintenance, which should happen in normal course, was being discussed and decided at his level. Upon being informed by MCD that 1406 dark spots yet remained to be illuminated, Shri Saxena directed the MCD to complete the work within the committed timeline of one month. 
 

Upon being informed that since the last meeting disposal of the cases by Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), had improved significantly, Shri Saxena informed that he had issued instructions to FSL, Delhi to collaborate with FSL, Chandigarh and FSL, Gandhinagar to expedite disposal of cases. 
Those presents included the Chairpersons DCW and DCPCR, Divisional Commissioner and Pr. Secretary (Home), Commissioner (MCD), Commissioner (Transport), Spl. Commissioners of Police, Secretary (Social Welfare) and Secretary (Law) apart from other officers of Departments concerned.

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