Month After Teen's Gang Rape, Delhi Park Gets New Lights, CCTV Cameras

A month after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped at Aastha Kunj Park in South Delhi's Kalkaji, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said it has installed 105 additional lights and four CCTV cameras, stepped up night patrolling and repaired damaged boundary walls to strengthen security.

All 340 existing lights at the park are now functional, while the additional lights have been installed following recommendations made during a safety audit, the authority said in a status report on Saturday. The four CCTV cameras installed after the September 21 incident are also working, said an official.

Spread across 142.41 acres, the park has 29 gates, making security coverage across the sprawling green space a challenge, particularly after dark.

The DDA said all security guards under the allotted strength have been deployed, with regular patrolling being carried out across the park.

Two motorcycles equipped with sirens have been pressed into service for night patrolling. Security personnel have also been provided with torches and other safety equipment. Surprise inspections are being conducted at night. The authority has also introduced biometric attendance checks apart from physical roll calls.

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All gates have been made lockable, while wicket gates are closed at 9 pm under the existing arrangements.

Damaged portions of the boundary wall have also been repaired, with officials saying no breaches have been reported at present.

The DDA is also considering installing high-mast lights at identified locations inside the park to improve visibility.

However, nearly 99 per cent of Aastha Kunj falls within the Morphological Ridge, an ecologically sensitive area where excessive lighting could disturb natural vegetation and wildlife. Officials said additional lighting is being planned carefully, particularly along pathways and areas frequently used by visitors.

A joint inspection has already been conducted with electrical department officials to identify suitable locations, though no installation deadline has been announced.

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The security measures follow the September 21 incident in which three men allegedly posing as policemen sexually assaulted a teenager inside the park. All three accused were subsequently arrested.

The incident prompted a wider safety audit of Delhi's parks.

Of the 736 parks managed by the DDA, 190 were classified as high-risk, while 520 required additional lighting. Only 16 parks had CCTV surveillance at the time.

An earlier assessment by the DDA and Delhi Police had also identified more than 30 locations at Aastha Kunj requiring CCTV coverage.