Following the rapidly rising crime graph of Delhi metro stations, the city police has decided to open police booths at every metro station in the capital.
Delhi Metro has witnessed 806 criminal cases like theft and pick pocketing inside the trains and metro stations until April 10 this year. The figure for last year during the same period was just 140.
According to police officials, Delhi Police recently approached the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recommending police booths be set up at 49 metro stations. The recommendation has been accepted and the DMRC is ready to set up designated booths for the police.
"The presence of a police booth at metro stations will work as a deterrent. It will help check crime inside the metro and its premises," M.K. Meena, joint commissioner of police, told IANS.
"Though we have recommended 49 locations but the idea is to cover every metro station," Meena said.
The 129 metro stations host around 25 lakh commuters in the capital each day.
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At the moment, there are eight metro police stations with a total strength of 209 police personnel.
According to the official, the stations which see a ridership of more than 25,000 per day, or are on the borders of Delhi, have been given priority. A few stations which come under this category are Kashmiri Gate, Mandi House, Anand Vihar, New Ashok Nagar and Jahangir Puri.
"Strategically located metro stations like Patel Chowk, Race Course, Udyog Bhawan and AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) are also on the list for having police booths," Meena told IANS.
In 2013, the metro police arrested a total of 206 criminals under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and other laws, which included one arrest for attempt to murder, six for robbery, one for snatching, 22 for theft, 101 for pick-pocketing, four for vehicle theft, seven for burglary, three for drug trafficking and 10 under the Arms Act.