The Supreme Court has ordered stronger police patrols, verified public transport drivers and real-time emergency monitoring to improve women’s safety in Delhi.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed Delhi authorities to strengthen police patrolling, verify drivers working in public transport and establish effective real-time monitoring of surveillance and emergency response systems as part of a series of measures to prevent crimes against women.
The directions, issued by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran, call for action by the Delhi Police, local administration and transport authorities following recent alleged sexual violence cases in the National Capital Region.
In its October 5 order, made public on Thursday, the court emphasised that public safety requires authorities to address vulnerabilities before they result in crimes, rather than focusing only on investigations and arrests after an offence has occurred.
Driver verification and emergency response under scrutiny
The court has directed intensified beat patrolling, particularly around schools, colleges, universities, coaching centres and areas identified as vulnerable.
It has also ordered mandatory verification of drivers and assistants employed by government and private buses, app-based transport services, taxis and autorickshaws. Their names and photographs must be displayed to passengers, while unauthorised substitution or subletting of vehicles has been prohibited.
Other measures include integrating vehicle-tracking systems with police emergency response infrastructure, conducting surprise checks and informing passengers about activating SOS buttons and the procedures followed when an emergency is reported.
The court has also called for the removal of heavy vehicles illegally parked in ways that obstruct visibility and action against unauthorised liquor outlets or establishments illegally serving alcohol, along with measures to address disorderly gatherings around such locations.
Police ‘war rooms’ and accountability
The bench has stressed the need for dedicated command centres, described as “war rooms”, to monitor police patrols and CCTV infrastructure in real time.
The Delhi Police Commissioner and the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government have been asked to submit a joint report identifying whether such command centres exist, their numbers and areas of coverage, and the protocols used to coordinate emergency responses.
The court has also designated these two senior officials as responsible for filing compliance affidavits. It warned that they could be held personally answerable if its directions were not implemented with the required seriousness.
The order further calls for weekly reports on the operations of Delhi Police’s Shishtachar Squads, which were established to address harassment, and a status report on Operation Nirbheek and the Nazuk scheme, including safeguards for the confidentiality and protection of female student complainants.
The court has fixed November 6 as the deadline for consolidated status reports and affidavits, with the matter scheduled for its next hearing on November 16.
From written rules to safety on the ground
The proceedings follow the court’s decision to take suo motu cognisance of recent alleged sexual violence cases in Delhi, including incidents involving minors.
The bench has called for deficiencies in crime prevention and emergency response systems to be identified and addressed. It has also cautioned that preventive policing must remain within legal limits and cannot justify arbitrary or disproportionate police action.
The directions place the focus on whether existing safeguards work in practice: whether police are visible in vulnerable areas, transport operators verify the people driving their vehicles, surveillance systems function and emergency calls lead to timely intervention.
For women and girls navigating public spaces and public transport, the effectiveness of the measures will ultimately depend on implementation and accountability, not merely the existence of official protocols.
