Stressing the need to improve women’s safety, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday instructed officials to take action for the overhaul of nearly 4,000 poorly-lit areas across the capital.
Chairing a review meeting with senior officials, the chief minister called for a city-wide overhaul focusing on key concerns related to public safety, transport and shelter infrastructure, with special emphasis on improving women’s safety, an official statement said.
At the meeting, the officials highlighted 129 “mobile dark spots” —areas with weak or no mobile network —in the city, the statement said. Officials said these “dark spots” are currently being cleaned and fitted with proper lighting, as they are seen as vulnerable zones, especially for women.
The CM also said that 233 traffic congestion points have been identified and concerned departments have been directed to take swift action.
DMs and SDMs of all districts have been directed to conduct regular inspections of shelter homes to ensure a dignified life for the homeless.
Delhi Police is to continuously monitor these shelters and verify the identities of their residents.
To tackle waterlogging, 445 waterlogging prone areas have been identified and must be resolved within 15 days. And instructions have been issued to resolve all pending matters promptly and on a priority basis.
The government will also strengthen the Forensic Science Laboratory, and a crackdown on polluting vehicles will be launched.
CM Gupta added that a prior meeting was held with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who gave clear guidance on improving Delhi’s security and orderliness.
Following up, today’s review included in-depth discussions on traffic management, dark spots, shelter homes, and deployment of marshals in buses.
“All officials have been clearly directed: it is no longer the time for just paperwork and meetings—it’s time for visible results on the ground,” the CM said.
Emphasising the imperative of enhancing Delhi’s traffic management for citizen convenience, she acknowledged that in a metropolitan area such as Delhi, an efficient and secure traffic system is essential for public convenience and development.
In this regard, 233 traffic congestion points have been identified throughout Delhi. Requisite instructions have been issued to Delhi Police, PWD and the Transport Department to expeditiously address these congestion areas.
Of the 123 congestion points under the PWD department, 41 have been resolved, with directives issued for the resolution of remaining points by June.
Addressing the issue of ‘dark spots’ and the public lighting system in the capital, Gupta emphasised that this matter is directly linked to public safety and crime prevention. Ensuring the security of every corner of Delhi remains a top priority of the government.
In this regard, all concerned departments have been directed to install appropriate lighting at the 4,000 identified dark spots. Specific instructions have been issued to the PWD department to rectify faulty lights at approximately 1,900 locations under the jurisdiction of within 10 days.
Additionally, officers of all concerned departments have been instructed to promptly repair non-functional lights at the remaining dark spots.
Junior engineers have been tasked with conducting regular inspections to ensure sustained functionality.
With respect to 129 dark spots affected by poor mobile network connectivity, the Chief Minister has directed all relevant service providers to urgently address and restore communication systems.
Furthermore, instructions have been issued to maintain functional street lighting across all streets, roads, bus stops, and public spaces, along with ensuring their continuous and systematic monitoring.
Furthermore, while discussing the 445 identified waterlogging-prone areas in Delhi, the Chief Minister has directed PWD, NDMC, and MCD to ensure resolution of these areas’ issues within fifteen days.
All concerned departments have been ordered to maintain necessary coordination to prevent citizen inconvenience during the forthcoming monsoon sea.
