With rise in instances of crimes at public places, locals who visit such places regularly have questioned the issue of safety of people in parks.
‘Indecent gestures’
Ranjana Jalali, (23), who frequently visits parks in Greater Kailash-I, said, “Most parks do not have security guards, making them unsafe, especially for women. I once took a shortcut through a Greater Kailash-I park while returning from work in the evening and came across a man making indecent gestures. I have stopped going to parks in the evening since then.”
Kanika Bisht recalled a similar instance.
“I feel unsafe when I go for a walk to a park early in the morning and it is deserted. I went for a walk to a park in Greater Kailash-I’s W Block around 9.30 one morning. It was crowded and I felt comfortable. Moments later, I spotted a man masturbating in a corner and left immediately. I never went to that park again,” said the 27-year-old.
Stating that she avoids going to the park alone, Hema Chaudhary said, “I feel safer when I am with friends in a park. I have seen men touching or groping women on several occasions. I have also been on the receiving end of such unwanted attention in a park near my house in Vasant Vihar.”
Raina Singh, (20), said, “I have come across people smoking weed in Amar Colony parks. There are no policemen around either. Men stare at women and pass lewd comments at Sapna Park, located near my hostel in Lajat Nagar-IV. This is a common problem in most parks across the city. I volunteer for an animal welfare organisation in Jangpura. We would take out dogs for walks to a Delhi Development Authority park there. However, some men would tease the volunteers regularly. We were eventually asked to take the dogs to other parks near the shelter.”
Talking about the safety of his children, 35-year-old Mukul Singh said, “I go to the W Block park in Greater Kailash-I often. However, I prefer not to take my children there. People drink, take drugs and misbehave in the park. One has to be extremely careful with children in such surroundings.”
However, 29-year-old Ankush Sarwal begged to differ.
He said, “Safety of visitors differs from park to park. The park in Kailash Colony market is located in a bustling area and is well-lit. A park that is larger and secluded is bound to be unsafe.”
Security measures
Madhur Verma, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Delhi Police, said, “We constantly review safety and security measures in parks. We update the civic agencies concerned on the status of security guards, high-mast lights, broken boundary walls and other infrastructure that needs to be improved for the safety of visitors.”
