New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- The Supreme Court has directed Delhi Police and the city government to strengthen beat patrolling, particularly around educational institutions, and ensure strict verification of drivers and assistants of public transport vehicles.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran, hearing a suo motu case on recent rape incidents in Delhi-NCR, also directed authorities to identify unauthorised liquor shops and establishments operating without requisite permissions and take action against them.
The court directed enhanced patrolling and effective real-time monitoring of police and CCTV infrastructure through dedicated control rooms or "war rooms". It asked the Delhi Police Commissioner and Delhi Chief Secretary to submit a joint report on existing command centres, their coverage and emergency response protocols.
The court also directed strict verification of drivers of buses, cabs, taxis and autorickshaws, including those linked to app-based aggregators. Only registered and verified persons should operate such vehicles, while their names and photographs should be displayed prominently for passenger identification.
Authorities were asked to provide dedicated channels for complaints and take prompt regulatory action against violations.
The bench further directed beat officers to monitor eateries and establishments serving liquor unlawfully, disperse loitering or crowds around liquor shops and ensure safe movement of pedestrians.
It called for regular citizen-engagement meetings to address grievances and stressed preventive-policing training for personnel. While emphasising crime prevention, the court cautioned that policing must remain lawful, proportionate and accountable. It issued notice to the Union Home Ministry and Delhi Transport Department and listed the matter for November 16.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.