The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has ordered time-bound safety, cleanliness and accessibility measures around Delhi University’s women’s colleges after the recent rape in Aastha Kunj Park, including a one-month deadline to illuminate identified dark spots.
The directions were issued by the MCD’s additional commissioner following a meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor TS Sandhu on September 30. Principals of several women’s colleges attended the meeting, according to the civic body’s correspondence with zonal deputy commissioners.
The measures cover street lighting, tree pruning, footpaths, garbage collection points, urinals, unauthorised vending, encroachments and parked vehicles obstructing pedestrian movement. The MCD’s engineering and electrical wings have been instructed to inspect roads and surrounding areas, repair faulty streetlights and identify dark spots near the colleges.
“All identified dark spots have to be illuminated within a month,” an official said, according to the report. Tree inspections and pruning have also been prioritised around college entry and exit points, pathways, roads and other locations considered vulnerable. The stated objective is to improve visibility around the campuses and their approaches.
The civic body will examine the location of urinals around women’s colleges and identify alternative sites if relocation is considered necessary. It will also inspect footpaths, pedestrian pathways and approaches to ensure that they are accessible and free of obstructions.
Zonal deputy commissioners have been directed to conduct special enforcement drives against unauthorised vendors and tehbazari, vehicles parked on footpaths and other encroachments. The central zone has specifically been asked to examine the dhalaos, or garbage collection points, near Gargi College and Lady Shri Ram College and take action for their removal or relocation where required.
The directions also extend to park and jungle areas near Mata Sundari College. The MCD said it would examine the feasibility of developing and improving these areas through a memorandum of understanding or a public-private partnership model. The report does not specify the proposed scope, cost or implementation timeline for that arrangement.
The action plan places responsibility on the zonal deputy commissioners to document deficiencies and report on their resolution. College-wise action-taken reports must be submitted within 10 days, including the issues identified, action taken, dates of compliance and pending matters. Before-and-after photographs are to be provided wherever applicable.
The measures bring routine municipal functions—lighting repairs, pruning, waste-point management, footpath enforcement and sanitation—into the immediate safety response around women’s colleges. The MCD’s directions require the deficiencies to be addressed expeditiously, while the reporting process is intended to record progress at each campus.
