Sambalpur proposes Rs 10-crore women’s safety overhaul

The Sambalpur district administration has proposed a Rs 10-crore overhaul of women’s safety infrastructure under the Nirbhaya initiative. The plan includes nine specific measures designed to improve the safety and accessibility of public spaces for women and girls.

Key components of the proposal include the ‘Drushti’ initiative, which aims to install 800 CCTV cameras at 210 strategic locations, and the ‘Pratikriya’ scheme, which involves deploying 15 emergency response vehicles and drones. For mobility, the ‘Sahayatra’ program will introduce 40 pink e-rickshaws, while the ‘Shakti Sarathi’ initiative will deploy 15 two-wheelers for patrols by women police personnel.

Additionally, the administration plans to establish five police assistance centres under the ‘S-Stop’ program and four assistance centres under ‘Nirbhaya Sadan’ at locations including the district court, railway station, and medical areas. The initiatives were reviewed in a high-level meeting involving Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma, and Director General of Police Vinaytosh Mishra.