Under a special women's safety programme, all-women police patrol teams are soon to be deployed in eight major cities in the country. The Home Ministry has approved nearly Rs 3,000 crore as a part of the Women Safe City Project which will safeguard the cities with various facilities, including transit dormitories for women and children, smart LED streetlights, public panic buttons, one-stop crisis centres, and forensic and cyber-crime cells.
“Safe city proposals amounting to Rs 2,919.55 crore were approved under the 'Nirbhaya Fund' recently,” the official said, adding that the implementation will be in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
According to a senior Home Ministry official, Rs 663.67 crore has been sanctioned for Delhi, Rs 252 crore for Mumbai, Rs 425.06 crore for Chennai, Rs 253 crore for Ahmedabad, Rs 181.32 crore for Kolkata, Rs 667 crore for Bengaluru, Rs 282.50 crore for Hyderabad and Rs 195 crore for Lucknow.
The 'Nirbhaya Fund' is an initiative solely aimed at enhancing safety and security for women in the country since 2013. It was instituted following the heinous 2012 Delhi gangrape which triggered nationwide outrage and protests.
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The project includes development of safe zone clusters in crime-prone zones, CCTV cameras updated in modern command and control centres, security enablers in public transport and provision of toilets for women within safe eco-systems. The overall aim is to build a comprehensive view of women's safety based on the states adoption of a mix of solutions based on their requirements.
Other initiatives started earlier were deployment of all-women patrol teams such as SHE-teams and emergency vehicles called 'Abhayam' vans.
Even police stations are appointing well-equipped women help desks and other services such as counsellors. This measure will help police stations become more accessible to women for lodging complaints and getting other assistance.
Feature Image Credit: Indiaimes
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