Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

School buses will be allowed to ply in Delhi only after police verification and all discotheques have been ordered to close by 1 am by the Government in a bid to beef up security in the capital.

Faced with complaints of delay by police in providing help against the backdrop of the Delhi gangrape incident, the Indian Union Home Secretary-led task force, which was set up to look into security aspects of women in Delhi, also reviewed helpline No 100 and directed that whenever a call is received, the nearest Police Control Room (PCR) vehicle must reach the spot.

It said every Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster bus must have a CCTV/Webcam and every member of the crew of a public transport vehicle must have a photo identify card latest by March 1, duly verified by Delhi Police.

If this direction is not complied with, the Delhi Police will not allow these vehicles to ply.

"No school should hire any transport vehicle of any kind without the owner and the rest of the crew being verified by Delhi Police. Such order and the police verification thereof must be completed by February 1," the task force directed.

It also decided that all stand-alone discotheques and all five-star discotheques must close down the music by 12.30 am and completely close down by 1.00 am.

On December 21, Government had ordered closure of all bar and pubs by 1 am in the capital as part of security measures in the wake of the Delhi gangrape on December 16.

The task force was constituted after huge public outrage following the gangrape. The task force, comprising officials from Central and Delhi governments, Delhi Police, municipal bodies, would meet every fortnight.

The meeting reviewed the status of different Helplines, PCR Vans, DTC/cluster bus service, working hours for discotheques and women help desks in police stations among other issues.