Provide safe transportation to women working late: Sheila Dikshit

With rising concerns over safety of women following the rape of a Mizo BPO employee, chief minister Sheila Dikshit today directed Labour department to ensure that women working late in the evening are provided safe transportation by their employers.

Dikshit, at a meeting to discuss ways and means to ensure safety of women in the city, asked the Labour department to approach all BPOs, media houses, hospitals to provide safe transportation to women to go back home in the evening.

She said women whose work hour goes beyond 7pm in winter and 8pm in summer should be given transportation by the employers.

In addition, the government will consider setting up of a special court to prosecute those involved in rape cases as suggested by the representatives of Northeast women.

The meeting was attended by women and child welfare minister Kiran Walia, chairperson of Delhi Women Commission Barkha Singh, principal home secretary JS Patnaik and top officials of Delhi Police, besides representatives of NE women.

The meeting was convened to coordinate efforts of all concerned agencies to ensure safety of women in the city.

Dikshit also directed concerned agencies to publicise all helpline numbers as well issued direction to display these numbers on DTC buses.

In the meeting, Delhi Police assured that its supervisors will remain available on its helpline numbers and try to overcome language barrier being faced during calls made by Northeast women in distress.

Officials said DCW has a round the clock help line 23370557 and a toll free number 1800-11-9292 to provide help to women in distress.

Representatives of police said they will take steps to ensure that language barrier does not come into play while understanding problems of Northeast women by its help line operators.

The MCD is being requested to install proper signages and make functional street lights in all those areas where Northeast women have been putting up in large number.

It was also decided to instruct RWAs and local police to show the identity card by the women returning to their colonies in odd hours to control unauthorised entry of vehicles.

Officials said Dikshit will have another round of consultation with Northeast MPs Forum soon. She had met the forum representatives yesterday.

Police on Thursday announced that they have nailed the culprits of the Dhaula Kuan rape incident and said they would ask BPOs to enforce strict safety measures while dropping their women staff.