UP Governor flags off 'Pink Patrol' in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel flagged off 100 'pink' two-wheelers and 10 four-wheeler police vehicles for 'Pink Patrol', under 'Safe City Project' on Saturday.

Under the campaign, the Governor provided vehicles to the police and other departments with an aim to strengthen women's security in public places.

Speaking on the occasion Patel said the 'Pink Patrol' campaign by the Central government and the state government is going to run for 180 days.

"We all have a responsibility towards the safety of women, it is not the responsibility of anyone department or an officer. The proceedings of every case of atrocities against women should be solved on time. We should take a pledge that there should not be a single incident of crime against women," she said.

She also said that vehicles provided by the government under the campaign should only be used for official work, and not for personal purpose.

The Governor further extended her wishes to the nation on the occasion of Navratri.

"Today is the first day of Navratri I wish everyone a very happy Navratri," she said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had approved the Safe City Project for Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 194.44 crore under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme in November 2018.

The project is implemented as a centrally sponsored scheme with the Centre and State sharing the funding in 60:40 ratio.

This approval was a part of MHA's plans to implement 'Safe City projects' in eight selected cities, namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow under Nirbhaya Fund, with the purpose of strengthening safety and security of women in public places.

The major components of the Safe City Project in Lucknow include Setting up an Integrated Smart Control Room, Setting up Pink Outposts (exclusively administered by Women police) for facilitating ease of filing complaint by women, Pink Patrols of Women police, Setting up Women Help Desks in all Police Stations with Counsellors, Augmentation of existing Asha Jyoti Kendra, Implementing Safety measures in buses, including Cameras, Improving Street Lighting in identified Hot Spot areas, Setting up Pink Toilets and the Integration of Women power-help line with single Emergency number '112'.

The 'Safe City Project' for Lucknow also envisages gender sensitisation awareness campaigns and capacity building in collaboration with community and civil society orgsations.

( With inputs from ANI )