Only 4.2% buses in Delhi under security surveillance

Nearly 45 lakh people use the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses in the city. Shockingly, only 4.2 per cent of the total number of buses is under surveillance, thus, leaving almost no safety mechanism for woman commuters. The Aam Aadmi Party’s plan to deploy marshals on these buses will keep acts of sexual harassment at bay to some extent, if only it’s implemented at the earliest.

By November last year, the DTC had installed non Wi-Fi CCTV cameras on 200 buses. Although it was a pilot project then, the figure in the past six months has not seen any change. The corporation has a fleet of 4,705 buses, and is reeling under cash crunch, it claims.

The three-month-old AAP government too has had no progress in respect of its key poll promises for ensuring women’s safety. However, an optimistic Transport Minister Gopal Rai said work would be visible soon after the budget was passed. “A proposal to install CCTVs on all buses will be presented to the State Cabinet before the Delhi Assembly’s budget session. Work on deploying marshals will also begin after the budget session. This also includes the pilot project of setting up Wi-Fi hotspots in select routes of the DTC which have been identified,” he said.

The budget session is likely to be scheduled after June 15.

The project to install CCTV cameras, sources said, is likely to cost the government around Rs. 100 crore. In the buses currently under surveillance, three such cameras have been installed on each bus for full coverage of the seating area.

“So far the cameras installed have been found to be functioning well. Once buses return to the depot, the footage is stored safely. As of now, 10 days’ footage is being stored in case a complaint is filed by a passenger,” said a Transport Department official.

The plan of the AAP government to deploy marshals is stuck due to “non-availability” of home guards, which is under the Delhi Government.

Sources said the government has written to the Lieutenant-Governor putting forward the request to withdraw its personnel from the Delhi Police. However, the plan does not seem to be working and now the government is planning to deploy its civil defence force as marshals.

The AAP govt's plan is stuck due to “non-availability” of home-guards, which is under the Delhi Government