New Delhi: Central Delhi’s bustling markets like Karol Bagh have a new pair of high-tech outposts shrinking the distance between the crime complainant and the cop.Police have rolled out integrated facilitation booths at the Kalka Das and Arpit Gol Chakkar. The two modern glass outposts right in the high-footfall heart of the commercial hub will record e-FIRs so that people don’t have to go to police stations.The booths are at the tri-junction of the Karol Bagh, DBG Road and Paharganj police circle and they are expected to cater to thousands of shoppers, residents and traders.Inside the sleek booths is real-world tech. The booths are equipped with LED display screens, CCTV cameras, loudspeakers for addressing people, computers and high-speed internet connectivity.Special CP Devesh Chandra Srivastva said: “The LED displays will show public awareness messages, traffic advisories, emergency alerts and crime prevention information, while the CCTV cameras and public address systems will strengthen surveillance and facilitate timely communication during emergencies.”Visitors can register complaints, seek assistance in lodging FIRs, report cybercrime. The booths will also help people in accessing other police services.The timings for the functioning of the booth will be from 10 am to 6 pm, with duty roster provisions ensuring that police officers will also be deployed during night hours based on the requirement, said joint CP Madhur Verma.A PCR vehicle will also be deployed in coordination with the booths to ensure immediate police assistance, whenever required.DCP (central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said the primary objective behind the two booths is to improve safety by making police assistance more accessible, particularly for women, children and senior citizens. “These booths are meant to serve as easy accessible points where people can seek immediate help,” he said, adding that the initiative is expected to strengthen police-public partnership, enhance public confidence in policing and reinforce law and order in the area.Addressing members of market welfare associations (MWAs), resident welfare associations (RWAs) and other stakeholders, senior police officers urged people to play a more active role in maintaining safety and security in the area by helping tackle encroachments or by curbing the sale of counterfeit goods in the Karol Bagh market.Police also encouraged shopkeepers, market associations and residents to install pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ), fixed and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), CCTV cameras at their establishments. Senior police officers said expanding the surveillance network would help identify offenders more quickly, aid investigations into street crimes and strengthen overall security in the market.
