The Municipal Corporation of Delhi plans to install CCTV cameras and deploy security guards at 1,000 large parks after the alleged gang rape of a minor at Aastha Kunj raised concerns about safety, lighting and surveillance in the capital’s public open spaces. The civic body will seek support from the Delhi government and is preparing a proposal for the security measures.
An MCD senior official told Jagran that the corporation manages more than 15,000 parks across Delhi. About 1,000 of them are larger than one acre, while the remaining parks are mainly neighbourhood or colony parks. According to the official, larger parks located away from dense residential areas require dedicated security arrangements because they are more difficult for nearby residents to monitor.
The proposed system would include CCTV cameras at park entry and exit points and security guards working in two eight-hour shifts. The MCD estimates that around 2,000 guards would be required for the 1,000 parks. The proposal is expected to be sent to the Delhi government for cooperation and funding support.
The scale of the proposed deployment is significantly larger than the corporation’s existing security strength. The MCD currently has only 42 security guards, according to the report. The corporation also has around 6,500 gardeners, of whom approximately 1,400 are regular employees and 3,000 are engaged on contract, leaving the staffing and operational responsibilities for the proposed park-security system to be determined.
The question of who will monitor the cameras and which officials will be permitted to access recorded footage has not yet been finalised. The MCD has indicated that these decisions will have to be taken by the Delhi government. The arrangement will determine whether the cameras are used only after an incident or monitored as part of a coordinated public-safety system.
The corporation has also ordered security audits of parks across all 12 administrative zones. Instructions issued on September 25 require officials to identify dark areas and blind spots, report non-functional lights immediately to the electrical department, and flag damaged boundary walls, fencing and gates for repair. Officials have additionally been asked to trim trees near pathways and lights to improve visibility.
The civic body has said that high-intensity floodlights cannot be installed in every park because the requirements of bird habitats must also be considered. This places greater emphasis on targeted lighting, unobstructed visibility, functional boundaries and surveillance at vulnerable locations rather than a uniform lighting solution across all parks.
The MCD is also expected to prepare a database of problematic parks. Officials have been instructed to inform the police or the police helpline immediately about suspected criminal activity, drug use and the presence of anti-social elements. The security audit and database are intended to help identify parks that require priority intervention.
The proposed measures follow the Aastha Kunj incident, which has drawn public criticism and prompted questions about the safety of isolated parks. The immediate next steps are the preparation of the proposal for the Delhi government, completion of security audits in the civic body’s administrative zones and identification of the parks requiring cameras, guards, lighting, boundary or gate repairs.
