Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Tuesday directed the Delhi police to set up a dedicated “Pink Force” of trained women personnel to patrol around schools, colleges, metro stations and other sensitive areas, particularly during vulnerable hours, for visible deterrence and rapid response. 

The direction came a day after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped in a public park in south-east Delhi’s Kalkaji. 

Mr. Sandhu issued the directions while interacting with senior police officers at the Delhi Police headquarters, where he reviewed the impact of measures taken since his previous visit on June 24 and discussed gaps that needed to be addressed, according to a statement issued by Lok Niwas. 

Citing the Goa Police’s “Pink Force” as a model, Mr. Sandhu called for a similar women-centric patrol unit in Delhi. He said women’s safety was “non-negotiable” and directed the police to continue focused action against sexual harassment in public spaces under Operation Shishtachar. 

The L-G also called for increased foot and motorcycle patrolling in crime-prone and high-footfall areas, with particular attention to schools, colleges, markets and transport hubs. 

Public outreach 

He directed police of each district to nominate a nodal officer and prepare a quarterly calendar for interactive awareness programmes in schools on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, child safety, cybercrime, substance abuse and road safety. 

He directed sustained, intelligence-led action against drug trafficking under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and called for strengthening police stations to handle cybercrime complaints and preserve digital evidence. 

On public grievances, Mr. Sandhu directed the police to introduce a digital tracking mechanism for Jan Sunwai complaints, with every grievance acknowledged and acted upon within a defined timeline. Complaints concerning other departments should be forwarded to the agency concerned, he said. 

The L-G said every police station should be a place where citizens felt heard, helped and safe, and called for stronger coordination among police stations, beat officers and the communities they serve. 

Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Taranjit Singh Sandhu, along with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Monday chaired a Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting to review the status of the ongoing enforcement drive against illegal buildings, fire safety violations, and the city’s disaster management preparedness.

The L-G, who is also the DDMA Chairman, suggested exploring the induction of former Agniveers into the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) to address the shortage of manpower and fill operational vacancies to strengthen emergency response in the Capital.

Expressing displeasure over the fire department’s enforcement record, Mr. Sandhu said the DFS had not issued a single notice during the ongoing drive against violations. He directed the DFS Principal Director to take immediate action and submit updates to the offices of the L-G, Chief Minister and Home Minister.

Home Minister Ashish Sood and PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh were also present in the meeting.

The DDMA accepted a proposal by Mr. Sood to enforce Section 32 of the Delhi Fire Services Act, 2007, extending fire prevention and safety measures to all multi-storey buildings in Delhi, irrespective of whether they require a fire safety certificate.

At present, buildings taller than 15 metres are required to obtain a no-objection certificate from the DFS.

Reviewing the ongoing crackdown on illegal and unsafe structures, the L-G said enforcement should be strict but must not lead to harassment of ordinary residents.

No room for excuses: CM

The Chief Minister underlined that all government agencies and authorities must work seamlessly as one team to deliver results, noting that there is no room for excuses or underutilised administrative powers.

Lieutenant-Governor and Chairperson of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Taranjit Singh Sandhu has directed officials to prepare a comprehensive, time-bound plan to develop Dwarka into a major hub for domestic and international investment, officials said on Monday.

Semiconductor plants

According to DDA officials, the plan will explore opportunities to establish data centres, semiconductor plants, and warehousing facilities in Dwarka while promoting non-polluting sectors such as IT and IT-enabled services, health care, global capability centres, and digital infrastructure.

In a meeting chaired last week, Mr. Sandhu had asked senior DDA officials to discuss development strategies for the sub-cities of Dwarka, Rohini, and Narela in the Capital.

“With improved connectivity through the Urban Extension Road, metro expansion, transit-oriented development policy and proximity to the airport, these areas are well positioned to emerge as decentralised economic hubs,” a DDA official said.

The official added that projects such as Yashobhoomi, the upcoming diplomatic enclave and large investment-ready land parcels strengthen the potential of these regions.

Employment generation

“Such transformation will create investment opportunities, generate employment, and support sustainable urban growth in Delhi,” the official said, adding that stakeholders would be consulted before the action plan is finalised.