The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is preparing to expand security measures across its parks after the September 21 gang rape of a 17-year-old at Aastha Kunj, with plans to install CCTV cameras in around 1,000 larger parks and deploy more security guards.
The civic body manages more than 15,000 parks, including over 1,000 measuring more than an acre. Yet it currently has only 42 guards for these parks and no MCD CCTV camera network covering them.
MCD has approached the Delhi government to examine the feasibility of installing cameras, while a separate proposal is being prepared to increase the number of guards. The move follows wider concerns about lighting, surveillance, boundary walls, gates and patrolling in parks across the capital.
CCTV plan faces monitoring challenge
Under the initial proposal, cameras would be installed at entry and exit points of around 1,000 larger parks. However, an MCD official said the government would have to decide how the footage would be monitored and determine who would have access to the camera feeds.
The scale of the proposed security deployment is substantial. Officials estimate that around 2,000 guards would be required to cover the parks in two eight-hour shifts.
The security concerns have also extended beyond MCD-managed spaces. A recent inspection of 12 major Delhi parks managed by different agencies found dark stretches, non-functional lights, inadequate security, broken boundary walls, open gates and limited CCTV coverage, particularly after sunset.
Lodhi Garden and Vasant Udyan were found to have relatively fewer concerns, while Sanjay Jheel, Vijay Mandal, Roshanara Bagh and Qudsia Bagh had several shortcomings that could pose risks to visitors.
The Delhi Police has separately identified similar gaps in green spaces across the city, including inadequate lighting and CCTV coverage and damaged or incomplete boundary walls. Authorities have called for improvements in surveillance and infrastructure.
Vegetation clearance and safety checks ordered
MCD's horticulture wing has directed field staff in all 12 zones to prune vegetation along pathways and around lighting infrastructure so that sight lines remain clear.
Officials have also been asked to identify dark and blind spots requiring additional lighting and flag parks where drug use or the presence of "anti-social elements" has been reported.
The directions followed a September 25 circular issued in compliance with Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu's instructions on the safety of women and children, cleanliness and the creation of a safer environment in parks.
Sandhu had earlier directed a comprehensive safety audit of all Delhi parks, covering lighting, security, cleanliness and police patrolling, following the Aastha Kunj incident.
MCD has also been instructed to ensure that gates, seating areas, footpaths, children's play areas and other sensitive locations are clean, safe and adequately visible.
The civic body will install public safety information boards carrying safety instructions and contact details. It will also create a database of parks with recurring security and maintenance problems. Officials will have to record action taken on complaints and report suspicious activity or the presence of anti-social elements to police.
Senior officials, known as chaudharies, have been directed to conduct daily inspections. Assistant directors will carry out weekly reviews, while deputy directors will conduct fortnightly reviews.
Staff shortage adds to security problem
MCD officials said financial and manpower constraints remain a major obstacle to implementing the proposed measures.
Of the 6,433 sanctioned gardener posts for municipal parks, around 67% are vacant. The civic body is currently filling part of the gap with about 3,000 contractual gardeners.
An MCD official said the corporation's financial constraints meant it could not independently hire the number of guards required and would need assistance from the Delhi government.
The shortage is particularly significant because around 90% of MCD parks are classified as "housing area parks", which primarily serve residential neighbourhoods.
Residents flag gaps in neighbourhood parks
Ashok Bhasin, who heads the North Delhi Residents Welfare Federation, said around 90% of MCD parks in North Delhi had no security arrangement and several streetlights were not functioning.
He said only some of the larger parks had guards and that the existing deployment was inadequate.
Officials said smaller neighbourhood parks also present difficulties because, despite being surrounded by residential buildings, they can contain poorly visible corners.
MCD field staff have therefore been instructed to prune vegetation around pathways and lights to improve visibility.
The Aastha Kunj case has exposed the consequences of such gaps. The park, where the teenager was allegedly gang raped, had non-functional CCTV cameras at its entrance and poorly lit secluded areas, according to reports. Investigators had to rely heavily on witness accounts and other clues while tracing the accused.
The incident has consequently prompted a wider push involving the MCD, Delhi Police and other civic agencies to improve surveillance, lighting, patrolling and basic infrastructure in Delhi's parks.