India, Oct. 3 -- The recent directions of the Supreme Court (SC) on the safety of women and children in Delhi-NCR deserve to be seen not merely as another set of judicial orders, but as an opportunity to examine how preventive policing can work more effectively on the ground.

The court has called for vulnerability mapping, strengthened patrolling, designated responsibility for vulnerable locations, and audits of lighting and CCTV in parks and other public spaces. It has also emphasised measurable action, with responsibility and accountability fixed on those entrusted with prevention of crime and the protection of vulnerable persons.

The immediate question for Delhi's leadership is therefore: How can these directions be implemented forth...