Installed CCTVS in 179 stations, Delhi Police tell HC

NEW DELHI : The Delhi Police on Monday informed the Delhi high court that it has installed CCTV cameras at 179 police stations in the city as well as at 52 police chowkis (outposts).

In a status report, the court was also told that GPS devices present in all control room vehicles were being replaced with a more advanced mobile data terminal (MDT) devices as part of the emergency response support system that is being implemented by the city police.

Appearing for the Delhi Police, advocate Rahul Mehra, standing counsel of Delhi government (criminal), filed a status report detailing that work has been completed at 179 of 182 police stations.

He said while Shahdara police station is undergoing maintenance, Pragati Maidan Metro police station is functioning out of a temporary building and, hence, cameras could not be installed there.

The report said as and when the station gets a permanent space, the cameras would be installed.

The court was also told that a decision has been taken to earmark two dedicated motorcycles in each police station for patrolling of dark stretches in their respective jurisdiction to ensure women safety.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation(pil) initiated by it in 2012 after the December 16 gangrape of a young woman in a moving bus in the national capital.

The woman later succumbed to injuries.

On the last date of hearing, the court directed the Delhi government and the city police to prepare an action plan to make the national capital safe for women.

The court had also said that all dark spots in the city should be lit up.

On Monday, advocate Meera Bhatia, the amicus curiae in the case, told the court that the lamp posts should have placards with emergency numbers and also the name of the authority which has positioned it.

She said the standard operating procedure for one-stop centres in Delhi is yet to be finalised. She also said all records in the malkhana (police store room) should be digitised.

Advocate Mehra told the court that efforts are being made to complete the installation of 6,630 CCTV cameras in the city at the earliest.

Moreover, since the emergency response support system is being implemented in the Delhi Police, the GPS devices of all PCR vehicles are being replaced with advanced mobile data terminal (MDT) devices that have a host of features.

The court, after perusing the status report, asked the Delhi Police to file a fresh one.