Guards to make Delhi schools safer for girls

In an attempt to tackle harassment and molestation of girl students, private security guards will be deployed outside 548 primary schools at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore

Guards to make Delhi schools safer for girls

Private security guards will be posted at the gates of over 500 civic agency-run primary schools in Delhi to tackle rising incidence of harassment and molestation of girl students, an official has said.

“We have planned to deploy private security guards, from government-approved agencies, in primary schools by the next academic year after several cases of molestation came to our notice,” said Manish Gupta, commissioner of South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Safety first: According to officials, the private security guards would also escort the girls to their homes. Representation Pic

The guards would be deployed at the 548 primary schools — till Std V — in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) territory. The girls are between the ages five to 13 and too young to tackle roadside molesters.

“The deployment will be done in phases, and will cover every school which falls under the area of SDMC,” he said. The yearly cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 1 crore, the official said.

“We have received several complaints from parents of girls regarding molestation taking place outside the school premises, due to which they stopped sending their child to school,” Gupta said.

“We are taking this step in order to draw the girl students back to school,” he added. “Men loiter outside schools in order to molest and harass the girls... some even follow them... This makes the girls afraid of going to school,” said the mother of a 12-year-old girl who lives in Delhi’s Khanpur area.

If the project is successful, it would be replicated in all the schools falling under the three municipal corporations. “The security guards will keep an eye on the girls entering and leaving the school. If required, they will also escort the girls to their houses,” added Gupta.

Satish Upadhyay, chairperson of the SDMC’s education committee, welcomed the move. “We want to ensure fool proof security. The guards will be hired from government approved security agencies,” Upadhyay said. u00a0

Other measures
In 2010, the MCD had decided to install CCTV cameras in and outside school premises in order to tackle harassment of students.u00a0

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