Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed officials to install additional streetlights and CCTV cameras at Delhi University’s North Campus after identifying dark and vulnerable areas during a campus visit. The instructions also cover footpath repairs, tree pruning, cleanliness and checks on police patrolling around the campus.
According to a statement from the chief minister’s office, Gupta asked officials to inspect the Arts, Law and Science faculties, parking areas and other sensitive locations to ensure adequate lighting. She said student safety could not be compromised and that negligence would not be tolerated.
The directions followed Gupta’s interaction with students at the Arts Faculty on Wednesday. During the visit, she asked students about safety, transport, hostel facilities and issues related to their colleges. She also spoke to female students about difficulties or fear they may experience while travelling to and from the campus at night.
The chief minister’s office said Gupta identified several locations that were poorly lit and instructed officials to map all such areas and install lights. She also directed authorities to trim tree branches obstructing existing streetlights. Broken or damaged footpaths were another concern, with instructions issued for their immediate repair.
Gupta also reviewed the CCTV cameras already installed on the campus and asked officials to determine how many were operational. Additional cameras are to be installed wherever required, according to the statement. The directions place emphasis not only on expanding surveillance infrastructure but also on checking whether existing systems are functioning.
Officials from the Public Works Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Police were present during the visit. Gupta asked students whether police vehicles regularly patrol the campus at night, linking the lighting and surveillance review with the wider question of movement and personal safety after dark.
The visit also highlighted routine civic conditions that affect the safety of a large university campus. Poor lighting, overgrown branches, damaged footpaths and uncollected waste can make movement more difficult and reduce visibility, particularly around parking areas and routes used by students after classes. The chief minister directed officials to clear the waste observed during the inspection.
The chief minister’s office said the visit took place amid concerns about women’s safety in and around North Campus, including reports of harassment in recent days involving the campus, hostels and nearby roads. The supplied statement does not provide details of those cases or specify a deadline for completing the new lighting and CCTV work.
Gupta also encouraged female students to undertake self-defence training. The immediate implementation of the lighting, repair, cleaning, CCTV and inspection directives will involve coordination among the Delhi government, civic authorities, the Public Works Department, Delhi Police and university-linked campus administration.
