Safety a shot in the dark
A year after of the brutal gang-rape of a paramedic, the Capital has failed to provide safe infrastructure and public transport to women. Although installation of GPS devices has been made mandatory by the Transport Department under the new permit conditions for the public service vehicles (PSVs), the Transport Department and the city police are yet to evolve a mechanism to share GPS data.
It is evident by the imprudent action by authorities that the measures taken in the aftermath of the December 16 incident last year are knee-jerk reactions to appease a furious public.
Poor urban planning and limited checks on modes of transport providing end-mile connectivity leave women commuters at the mercy of unsafe modes of transport such as gramin sewa vehicles that regularly flout rules by overcrowding and not plying on routes assigned to them. The area outside Metro station like Chhatarpur wears a deserted look post 10 pm. This is the story outside most Metro stations in the city as stringent checks are yet to be placed on the modes of transport providing end-mile connectivity.
The grisly gang-rape had exposed the perils of commuting at night. However, not much headway has been made since then. The number of buses plying during the night was increased to 200 but the Transport Department could not install CCTV cameras in them as no interest was shown by any vendor. As a result, only 20 buses at present are equipped with webcams. Even though DTC night service buses were enhanced from 38 on eight routes to 90 buses on 23 routes, the service remains inadequate. Women commuters also complain that the home guards that were deployed for the buses on night service are not seen these days. According to the Transport Department, 120 home guards have been deployed in DTC buses plying during night hours.
Cancellation of permits of regular offenders such chartered buses acts as a deterrent to vehicle owners and only the Transport authority is authorised to take action. However, only the permits of 202 buses have been cancelled by the Department even though Traffic Police had impounded 1,225 buses for flouting permit conditions. The Department in its defence said that stringent enforcement has been taken on all public transport vehicles post December 16. “Showcause notices have been issued to 2,500 buses and registration certificate has been suspended or cancelled for another 2,529 buses. In case of autorickshaws 2,464 showcause notices have been issued, 827 have faced permit suspension/cancellation and registration certificate has been suspended or cancelled of another 729 autos. As a measure for women’s safety, permits have been issued to 28 new women special bus trips to DTC,” said Transport Commissioner, Puneet K Goel.
Though it was made a part of the new permit conditions for all PSVs to be GPS-enabled, only 21,935 autos out of 95,000 autos have GPS installed. Police verification of vehicle owners was made mandatory under new permit rules before obtaining registration of the PSVs.
“Delhi Police has so far verified 59,168 cases and 58,311 are pending verification with police. Verification of character and antecedents of owners of old vehicles has also been undertaken,” Goel added.
Why are we comfortably numbIJ
Post December-16, 2012, there has been an alarming increase in the number of rape cases being registered in the Capital. The gravity of the situation could be judged from the fact that Delhi has recorded a staggering 500 per cent increase in rape cases. The cases of molestation, eve teasing, stalking and outraging the modesty have gone up considerably.
Delhi Police officers deny that the unprecedented rise in this crime has made the national Capital highly unsafe for girls and women. The rise in the figure is due to the ‘free and fair policy of registration’ adopted by the force on the instructions of the Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi.
“There are standing instructions to the rank and file to register a case under the relevant Sections once a girl/woman approaches a police station with her complaint”, a senior police official said.
Commissioner of Police BS Bassi has ordered free and fair registration of cases. Now girls/women are coming forward and the substantial rise in the crime figures pertaining to cases against women is borne out of the changing mindset of the victims. The figures paint a grim picture nevertheless.
Delhi had recorded 632 rapes in 2012 and the same figure jumped to 1,493 in the current year. This is over 125 per cent increase in the rape cases and the trend is quite worrying.
Cases of molestation went up to 3,237 this year compared to 632 in the previous year. This is a whopping 500 per cent increase and that is a major cause of worry.
Cases of eve teasing and stalking too have gone up manifold as compared to the previous year of 165 to 852 in the current year. According to the data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Delhi Police had registered 572 rape cases in 2011 as against 507 rape cases reported in 2010. The figure stood at 469 in 2009. In 2008, the figure was 466, while in 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 the figures were 598, 623, 658, 551, 490, 403 and 381 respectively. The rate of registration has gone up and is major cause of worry for law enforcing agencies.
It may be recalled that the December 16 gang-rape had created outrage across the country and Delhi witnessed unprecedented spontaneous protests at India Gate. Faced with tough questions, the political class ducked for cover and placed the entire blame on Delhi Police with the then Delhi Chief Minister going ballistic with her demands to oust the then Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar and then petitioned the Centre to transfer Delhi Police under the control of the city Government.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police officers said that they have left no stone unturned in providing safety and security to women in the Capital and several steps have been initiated and enforced in the aftermath of the unfortunate December 16 gang-rape. Efforts made by Delhi Police have reaped benefits and men and officers have been asked to be vigilant in ensuring the safety of girls and women. All police stations now have women helpdesks that function round-the-clock. Police helpline ‘100’ has been increased from 60 to 100 and there are standing orders to register cases anywhere in the Capital without bothering about jurisdiction. Crime Against Women Cell has been working for redressal of complaints and grievances of women in distress. Rape Crisis Intervention Centres have been further sensitised with trained women police officers who deal with sexual crimes. Women police officers have been posted in all the police stations to investigate incidents of rape. Efforts are on to file chargesheet against the accused within three months, a senior Delhi Police officer informed.