Just 16 of the 736 parks managed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) have CCTV cameras, a safety audit carried out after the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at a south Delhi park has found, putting the security in the city’s green spaces under scrutiny.
Security-related tender provisions are also being updated. The incident sparked a massive outrage and raised concerns about security and patrolling in public parks. The DDA is preparing standard operating procedures covering patrolling, guard performance, supervisor accountability, attendance, incident reporting and police coordination. Meetings with resident welfare associations have begun to identify park-specific concerns. A central monitoring dashboard has been established, and senior officers are conducting weekly inspections.
On September 21, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped inside the 142-acre Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple. The class 7 girl was visiting the park with a 17-year-old male friend on her 17th birthday when the accused posed as policemen and approached them, before committing the crime. Safety information boards have been installed in 115 parks, while 484 additional signages are under implementation. Principal Commissioner-level visits were held at Yamuna Biodiversity Park on September 30 and Kamla Nehru Ridge Park on October 1.
Contact details of local police and beat officers have been shared with field staff across all parks, the authority said.
Boundary security remained another concern. Areas around toilets and abandoned structures have also been flagged for corrective action. Repair work and replacement of missing grills have been addressed in 233 of the 399 parks identified for such interventions.
