Delhi’s first-ever women’s police station was opened on Friday in North Delhi’s Subzi Mandi area, a move aimed at enhancing the safety of women and improving the handling of crimes against them.
Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu inaugurated the Women’s Police Station (WPS), which has been notified with jurisdiction over the entire Northern District and has started functioning as a full-fledged police station from Friday.
Sandhu said the station will deal with cases of all categories of crimes against women, including cases of domestic violence, harassment and others.
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According to Delhi Police, the station is designed to be a women- and child-friendly facility that aims to provide a safe, accessible and victim-centred environment. It will be staffed mostly by female police officers, enabling complainants and survivors to interact with trained officers in an environment that promotes comfort and trust.
The existing Crime Against Women (CAW) cell in the area has been merged with the newly established station.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Gulcha, senior police officers, representatives of resident welfare societies, women leaders and local residents.
Addressing the gathering, Sandu said the police station would not only serve as a law enforcement and investigation centre, but would also be a symbol of trust for women and families seeking help and justice.
“This is a direct place that will deal directly with any crime against women,” he said.
The Deputy Governor said that the true success of the initiative will not only be measured by the number of cases investigated, but by the confidence it inspires among women and girls.
“A safe environment enables women to participate fully in education, employment, entrepreneurship and public life, thus contributing to the overall progress and prosperity of society,” he said.
Sandu said the newly established police station would investigate all categories of crimes against women and children occurring within the northern region. Apart from dealing with domestic violence and dowry-related complaints, it will investigate serious crimes including rape, sexual assault, molestation, stalking, molestation and other crimes affecting the safety and dignity of women and children.
“It is the responsibility of those who have been empowered to ensure safety and security and reduce crimes against women,” he said.
LG also announced that starting Saturday, senior police officers across Delhi will hear public grievances under the ‘Jan Sunway’ program at police stations.
According to Delhi Police, the station has been set up with special focus on prevention, investigation and redress of crimes against women and children. Besides investigating cases, it will conduct counseling sessions, sensitization programs and community awareness initiatives to improve awareness about women’s rights and legal remedies.
During the event, Sandhu toured the newly constructed police station and its attached building and reviewed the facilities created for women and child-friendly policing.
He also lauded the Delhi Police for initiatives aimed at women’s safety, including women’s helpline 1091, pink kiosks across the city, the ‘Shishtachar’ campaign against eve harassment and stalking, and the ‘Sashakti’ self-defense training program for women and children.
Delhi Police Chief Satish Golcha said 116 pink kiosks are functioning across Delhi as help centers for women, dedicated PCR vans for women have been deployed in different areas and more than three million women and girls have received self-defense training under various programmes.
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Devesh Srivastva said the Northern District Police has launched several women-centric initiatives in recent years, including the Rani Jhansi Squad and ‘Vamika’, a specialized patrol vehicle deployed for the safety of girl students in the North Campus of Delhi University.
