LG orders audit of parks in Capital

Two days after a minor was sexually assaulted by three men in a park near Kalkaji Mandir, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu called for a safety review of all public parks in the city, to be finished within a week.

Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar asked all 15 district DCPs to find dark spots, broken cameras, and other safety issues in parks, roads and isolated areas. The police is to send these lists to the civic authorities responsible for the infrastructure. Aastha Kunj Park, where the incident was reported, is about 142 acres and has around 29 access points connecting the Kalkaji temple complex, the Lotus Temple area, and the ISKCON temple. Informal paths link different sections of the park. Some parts of the boundary have collapsed, and several gates are left unattended.

The guard cabins near the main entrances lack power, and the CCTV cameras at the entry and exit points are either missing or not working.

The area checked on Monday night had poor lighting. The DDA said it had inspected the lights and assigned nine guards to each shift. With 29 entrances and thick vegetation, the audit needs to review the number of guards per entrance.

Police Commissioner's inspection treats the park as part of a larger pattern, not a rare case. Police can patrol and report what they see, but they cannot fix lights or replace cameras.

At a meeting in Lok Niwas, Sandhu brought together the police, MCD, and DDA. The checklist covers lighting, security, patrols, and cleanliness. Beat coverage will be increased around the park's edges, with the Pink Police on the perimeter and regular visits from beat staff. Civic agencies have been told to consider maintenance partnerships with RWAs, private groups, and colleges. The seven-day reports is expected to clearly list the parks, gates, broken cameras, and which agency is responsible for fixing each issue.