AAP government approves setting up CCTVs in buses through Nirbhaya Fund

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) The Delhi government on Tuesday approved installation of CCTV cameras in 6,350 DTC and cluster buses from Nirbhaya Fund at an estimated expenditure of Rs 140 crore.

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"The cabinet approved the Transport Department's proposal to authorise the DTC to call tenders and sign the agreement for installation of CCTV cameras in 6,350 DTC and cluster buses, utilising the Nirbhaya Fund, to be provided by the central government," an official statement said.

Nirbhaya Fund is a central government fund which is aimed to be spent in the schemes meant for women's safety across the country.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said that it was an important decision towards safe and secure environment for the public especially women in Delhi.

"This measure will impart a feeling of security to women using public transport," he said.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will appoint the Bid Process Manager through open tender enquiry.

Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has recommended detailed specifications for CCTV cameras under the project "National Level Vehicle Security and Tracking System". The specification of the proposed CCTV cameras would be either equivalent or higher to the prescribed specifications, the statement added.

The issue of women safety in the national capital has been a major concern following the horrific gangrape and murder of a young girl on the night of December 16, 2012 in a moving bus.

Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia in his first budget speech in the financial year 2015-16 had proposed installation of CCTV cameras in all DTC and cluster buses and the government had installed CCTV cameras, on a pilot basis, in 200 buses of Sarojini Nagar and Rajghat bus depots.