Delhi parks face safety gap as CCTV coverage remains critically low

The Delhi Development Authority has initiated an extensive overhaul of park safety following a recent gangrape incident at one of its facilities. The internal audit, ordered by Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Manjit Singh Sandhu, exposed significant gaps in surveillance infrastructure, with CCTV cameras installed in just 16 of 736 parks.

In response to the findings, the DDA has categorized parks by risk level to guide targeted interventions. Of the total parks surveyed, 190 have been classified as high-risk, 258 as medium-risk, and 288 as low-risk. High-priority parks are already seeing immediate security responses, including bicycle patrols, while 134 parks will receive armed guards deployed by the authority.

Lighting improvements have emerged as a priority across the park system. The DDA identified 520 parks requiring additional illumination, with 231 already earmarked for immediate upgrades. As of the audit date, lighting work had been completed in 106 parks on an urgent basis. The authority also identified 323 additional parks for CCTV installation, though no timeline for deployment has been specified.

The audit represents the DDA's first comprehensive security assessment of its sprawling park network in response to growing public safety concerns in the city's recreational spaces.