Center approves 'safe city project' in Lucknow for security of women

The city will soon have integrated smart control room, exclusive women outposts, pink toilets, night patrols of women police and women help desks in all police stations with counsellors.

The central government has approved a 'Safe City Project' for Lucknow at a total cost of Rs 194.44 crore under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme with an aim to strengthen the security of women in public places.

The city will soon have integrated smart control room, exclusive women outposts, pink toilets, night patrols of women police and women help desks in all police stations with counsellors.

The project would be implemented as a centrally sponsored scheme with the centre and the state sharing the funding in 60:40 ratio, an official release said Thursday.

It was approved by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs as part of its plans to implement Safe City Projects in eight selected cities -- Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow -- under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme.

The project is being implemented in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology, respective municipal and police commissioners of the cities besides civil society organisations, the release said.

Incidentally, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is a Lok Sabha member from Lucknow.

The other components of the project are an augmentation of existing Asha Jyoti Kendra, implementing safety measures in buses, including the installation of cameras, improving street lighting and integration of women power helpline with the single Emergency number '112'.

The project also envisages gender sensitisation awareness campaigns and capacity building in collaboration with community and civil society organisations.

It will be implemented by Uttar Pradesh Police, assisted by the municipal bodies and city transport authorities, the release said.

(With inputs from agencies.)