Closed-circuit cameras, visible and invisible surveillance, facilities for frisking and scanning and separate coaches for women form part of measures being planned for making the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) gender safe.
Announcing the details at a press conference on Friday, HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy said uniformed personnel as well as plainclothesmen from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), including women officers, would keep watch over metro stations. In addition, private security guards will be employed.
Moreover, closed-circuit camera footage will be continuously monitored from the Operation Control Centre (OCC) being set up at the Uppal depot.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gang-rape incident
In view of the Delhi gang-rape incident, HMR has invited suggestions from women across the spectrum for making travel safer.
Towards this end, essay writing, elocution, quiz and debate competitions will be conducted, the application forms for which are available at the HMR stall at the ongoing industrial exhibition.
ADVERTISEMENT
The suggestions will be discussed at a Women’s Conclave to be held in March with participation from businesswomen, woman IAS and IPS officers, NGOs and academicians.
Implementation
The ideas emerging from the conclave will be presented to the HMR technical team for implementation while designing coaches and stations, Mr. Reddy said.
Replying to a question, he said women’s participation in the Metro Rail project was negligible as of now, but women engineers coming forward were welcome.
Efforts are on to encourage women entrepreneurs to set up food courts and shopping centres as part of the project.