Cops visible, but will they really help?

NEW DELHI: Some youths pass lewd remarks at a group of girls while overtaking their car at night. The girls call 100. The youths are caught, a case is registered , and they are arrested. This is a real incident from post-Nirbhaya Delhi.

In the three months since the horrific bus rape, Delhi Police has indeed tried to walk its talk on women's safety. There's not been a transformation but changes are visible on the ground. And the biggest improvement, people say, is that police are now visible. Roads on which a lone cop would sometimes putter down at night are now regularly patrolled by PCR vans. Even district DCPs and additional CPs patrol their areas till midnight, an officer said.

"Since January, the men who haunted the intersections near our college have disappeared. We have reason to feel safe, and police deserve the credit. However, I still read about crimes against women in the papers every day and that takes away my sense of safety," said Mandakini, a BA student and resident of Amar Colony.

Trinaa Prasad, 24, and a marketing professional, had a different take. "If by change you mean the roads have become safer at night, then no, not much has changed. Mindset doesn't change overnight."

Some of the red tape has also been cut. Now officers are required to register cases without wrangling over territorial jurisdiction. A 21-year-old woman from Mayur Vihar recalled how her sister, who was manhandled in a road rage case on Press Enclave Road some months ago, was first directed to the Malviya Nagar police station and then to the Saket police station. "My sister gave up and we went home, but my friend, who faced a similar situation recently, had a better experience."

Running women's helpdesks at police stations is no longer just a rite. "There are orders to record women's complaints verbatim, without any tutoring," an officer said.

Police meet women's NGOs on the last Friday of every month to discuss problems. A special CP, Sudhir Yadav, has been appointed nodal officer for monitoring complaints by women and is available at 9818099012. The police distress number, 100, now has 100 telephone lines, up from 60. The number of helplines for women and children has also increased from four to 10.

To prevent harassment of women and families returning from entertainment venues at night, a tight watch is maintained over 250 routes. Discotheques and night clubs are made to shut by 1am.

There is better enforcement of guidelines for public transport vehicles, with drivers and other staff now required to display their name, photograph and PSV badge number inside the vehicle. DTC and cluster buses are in the process of installing GPS tracking devices.

More improvements are expected with increase in police manpower and infrastructure. Although the recruitment of 2,088 women constables and 418 women sub-inspectors is pending, 370 PCR vans are likely to be inducted soon.

"Women will definitely feel safe seeing more women cops on field duty. Their recruitment should be prioritized, and they should be deployed around malls and markets," said Nitya, a working woman in east Delhi.

Changes on the ground

Police presence and patrolling have increased, especially around girls' schools and colleges.

Thana jurisdiction no longer an issue for registering a case on a woman's complaint.

24-hour helpdesks for women at all police stations with exclusive phone lines.

Complaints of sexual harassment now recorded verbatim.

Lines increased for distress number '100', women and child helplines increased from four to 10.

Discotheques and night clubs made to close at 1am.

Vigilance increased on 250 routes taken by families and women returning home from entertainment hubs.