UP Police to recommend changes in building laws

State police mulling over crime prevention through environmental design, with the help of USbased IITKanpur alumni and safe design expert Arvind Verma

LUCKNOW: Can you imagine crime prevention through designing of residential buildings and commercial complexes?

Several developed countries are implementing this multidisciplinary approach to deter criminal behaviour through environmental design.

This is the latest concept known as crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and the state police are mulling over it with the help of a US-based IIT-Kanpur alumni and safe design expert Arvind Verma.

The expert shared his experience and expertise during a seminar on safe design in association with Indian Police Foundation and Institute (IPFI) and UP Police at the UP 100 conference hall on Wednesday.

IPFI is a multi-disciplinary think tank that brings together the police and the citizen stakeholders, to collectively work for building a professional efficient and socially sensitive police.

Talking to media persons, UP director general of police (DGP) Sulkhan Singh, the chief guest, said that the outcome of the seminar as well as suggestions given by the experts would be recommended to the state government to incorporate them in building laws to deter criminal activities.

Verma, who was the main speaker at the seminar, explained that CPTED strategies relied upon the ability to influence offender decisions that preceded criminal activities.

He said altering the physical design of the buildings and complexes in order to deter criminal activity was the main goal of CPTED.

He said the CPTED principles were to incorporate natural surveillance, situational prevention, natural access control and territorial reinforcement techniques to make the buildings safe and avert criminal activities.

He said the CPTED was a US -based concept and was referred as ‘Safe By Design’ in UK. “In India, there is need for a similar research so that crime can be combated,” he added.

Verma suggested to the DGP to constitute crime analysis unit of police that could research and come out with a different solution for different types of crimes.

He said the police personnel never found time for crime analysis but the formation of a special unit would help to get some concrete suggestions and work accordingly to avert such situations.

During the seminar, the experts also discussed different security standards for housing towers in such a way that expenses were minimised and the residents became safe and to design houses in such a way that thieves found it impossible to break in.

They also discussed how much space should be provided for X-ray machines and metal detectors in hotels, malls and offices.

Principal of college of architecture Vandana Sehgal was also present.

Other participants included builders, architects, town planners and police and security agencies’ officials.

In India, there is need for a similar research (like CPTED in US and ‘Safe By Design’ in UK) so that crime can be combated. ARVIND VERMA, safe design expert