DDA moves to secure Aastha Kunj weeks after rape, tenders CCTV, floodlights
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has begun installing fresh security infrastructure at Aastha Kunj Park, weeks after the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl exposed gaps in surveillance, lighting and patrolling at the 142-acre park near Kalkaji Temple.
The authority has floated a tender to install a CCTV surveillance system at Aastha Kunj at an estimated cost of ₹23.94 lakh, with the work to be completed within 15 days of the award. The DDA has also invited bids to install LED floodlights at the park, at an estimated cost of ₹4.2 lakh with a one-month completion period.
The move comes 12 days after the September 21 incident, in which three men allegedly posing as policemen approached the teenager and her male friend inside the park. According to police, the men separated the two and allegedly sexually assaulted the girl. All three accused were arrested within hours of the incident, while one sustained a gunshot injury during the arrest.
The incident also brought renewed attention to conditions inside the large park. Police officials also told Hindustan Times that staff, guards and regular visitors had previously identified one of the accused as a local troublemaker and that the absence of adequate patrolling and security infrastructure had been a concern.
The DDA’s audit of all 736 parks under its jurisdiction, released on Friday, quantified the wider gaps. Only 16 parks were found to have CCTV coverage, while 323 more have been identified for camera installation. The audit classified 190 parks as high-risk, 258 as medium-risk and 288 as low-risk. Aastha Kunj figures among the high-risk parks.
Lighting emerged as another major gap. The audit found that 520 parks require additional lighting, with work in 231 being taken up on priority. It also found deficiencies in access control and boundaries, including 163 parks where entrances were in poor condition and 399 parks with boundary-related repair or missing-grille issues.
“Security deployment emerged as a key concern at these parks, particularly as several DDA parks cover large areas and are not surrounded by residential settlements,” a DDA official said. The audit has recommended night patrolling at 245 major parks and deployment of armed guards at 134 parks where security risks were considered significant, the official said.
The sequence of events has highlighted the extent to which basic security measures at DDA parks remained dependent on post-incident interventions. At Aastha Kunj, residents have also raised concerns over non-functional or inadequate lighting, making the one-month deadline for the new floodlights particularly significant.
Separately, officials said that the DDA is also looking at hiring 5,000 additional guards to improve security at various parks in two or three shifts. Officials added that the hiring process has started and that, after a brief training, deployment is expected in phases over the next month.
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