Delhi, the most insecure place in the country: safety experts

New Delhi, Sep 6 (UNI) Delhi has emerged as the most insecure place in the country, safety experts said.

''As per National Crime Records Bureau, (NCRB), Delhi has the highest number of crimes in the past few years, which includes 4,289 violent crimes and 2,428 crimes against women. This is 20 percent more than other major cities of the country,'' said Mr A K Jain, an urban planner and a safety expert, addressing the 'Safety Convention 2007' organised by the Insitution of Engineers, the apex body of engineers in the country.

He presented a paper 'Planning a Safer city' at the convention.

About 300 experts attending the three-day programme, expressed concern over sharp increase in fatal road accidents as well as crime in the capital.

''Over 1800 people are dying on Delhi roads due to accidents every year, with no count of those who get injured in accidents or become permanently disabled,'' he said.

Mr Pradeep Chaturvedi, co-chairman of the convention stressed that the increase in accidents were mainly due to poor traffic culture (both by the road user and the authorities), non-maintenance of installed traffic signals, lack of road markings, deficiency in geometrics at intersections.

The other reasons were encroachments and lack of parking facilities, ill equipped and untrained traffic police force, he elaborated.

Adding that increased vehicular density on the capital's roads was also a factor, he said it has been projected that by year 2011, Delhi will have 60 lakh vehicles with 27,000 Km as road length and 1.8 crore as population.

Speakers also stressed on the need for incorporation of advanced traffic control technologies including Intelligent Transport System (ITS) in place of the present outdated control systems.

''Vehicle manufacturers should install safety systems including crash avoidance sensors, speed warning and improving drivers ability devices,'' they said.

They said Delhi has acquired the unsavoury tag of being the most unsafe city because of several factors like poor urban environment, dark or badly lit streets, badly maintained public spaces, encroachments on roads, poor public transport system, rude and unhelpful behaviour of bus drivers and conductors, unresponsive and aggressive behaviour of police and general lack of respect for women.

Speakers also stressed on the need of cultivating a ''Safety culture'' and called for instituting ''safety awards'' for developing this culture in all spheres.

UNI