Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered immediate action on dark spots, damaged footpaths and gaps in CCTV coverage at Delhi University’s North Campus after reviewing safety concerns raised by students during an inspection on Wednesday.
Gupta interacted with women students outside the Arts Faculty and sought feedback on their safety, transport, hostels and wider campus experience. The chief minister’s office said she asked students whether they faced difficulties or felt unsafe while travelling at night, and assured them that the government would address their genuine concerns.
The inspection identified several areas inside the campus that remained poorly lit despite lighting on surrounding roads. Gupta directed officials to identify all such locations and install additional lights wherever required. She also ordered the pruning of unnecessary tree branches where foliage was obstructing illumination.
The chief minister expressed displeasure over broken and uneven footpaths at multiple locations and instructed officials to inspect the wider campus and carry out repairs. The directions place pedestrian infrastructure alongside lighting and surveillance as part of the immediate safety response for students moving through the university area.
Gupta also reviewed CCTV arrangements and ordered cameras to be installed in uncovered areas, with the stated aim of ensuring that no sensitive location remained outside the surveillance network. She sought details of PCR vehicle deployment and the availability of women police personnel at night, while stressing closer coordination between Delhi Police and the university administration.
The concerns raised during the inspection extend beyond policing. Gupta directed officials to improve cleanliness and public facilities on the campus, while also referring to student concerns about hostels and paying guest accommodation. She said the Delhi government was working on a policy for paying guest facilities that would prescribe standards and regulations for the sector.
According to the chief minister, new hostels and improved accommodation facilities were also being planned. She encouraged women students to undertake self-defence training, adding a personal safety measure to the infrastructure and administrative actions ordered during the visit.
The next steps outlined during the inspection are the identification of dark stretches, installation of additional lighting and CCTV cameras, pruning of obstructive branches, repairs to damaged footpaths and closer coordination over night-time police deployment.
