Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 9: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made a surprise visit to Delhi University’s North Campus on Wednesday evening and interacted with women students to understand their concerns regarding safety, transport, hostels and college facilities.
Speaking to students outside the Arts Faculty, Gupta asked whether they felt unsafe while travelling at night and whether they faced difficulties related to their colleges. According to an official statement, she assured them that the government would take necessary steps to address their concerns.
During the inspection, the Chief Minister identified poorly lit areas and directed officials to improve campus lighting. She asked them to identify dark spots, trim tree branches blocking streetlights and install additional lights wherever required.
Gupta also expressed concern over broken and uneven footpaths and directed officials to inspect and repair damaged stretches, ensuring that the needs of students with disabilities were taken into account.
Reviewing CCTV surveillance, she sought details on the number of cameras installed, their operational status and areas requiring additional coverage. She instructed officials to ensure that existing cameras were functioning properly and install more wherever necessary.
The Chief Minister also enquired about the availability of police response vehicles and women police personnel at night. Students reportedly said women police personnel were present and police response vehicles arrived promptly when required.
Gupta called for better coordination between Delhi Police and the university administration to strengthen campus security. She directed officials to re-inspect the Arts, Law and Science faculties, parking areas and other sensitive locations to identify safety gaps.
She also raised concerns about garbage and poorly maintained green spaces, directing officials to ensure immediate cleaning and better upkeep of the campus.
During her interaction, Gupta discussed issues related to paying guest accommodation and hostels. She said the Delhi government was preparing a policy to regulate paying guest facilities and establish standards for the sector. She added that work was also underway to construct new hostels and improve existing accommodation to provide students with safer and better facilities.
The Chief Minister encouraged women students to undergo self-defence training and make time for it.
Reiterating that women students’ safety could not be compromised, Gupta directed officials to address the issues identified during the visit without delay. She said the action taken on her instructions would be reviewed later.
At the end of the inspection, Gupta continued her informal interaction with students over tea and urged them to bring concerns related to colleges, hostels, transport and safety to the government’s attention.
Senior officials from the Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Police accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.