The new Delhi Police 'pink booth' in the famed Janpath market, staffed by female officers to assist women in distress, has received positive feedback from both consumers and hawkers, and demand for similar kiosks in other shopping malls is growing.
The 'pink booth' has given women shoppers and hawkers a sense of protection in less than a week after it opened.
Arushi Prakash, who works in the national capital for a private corporation, remarked, "I feel that if similar complaints are coming on regular basis, then the police should work to address the matter. The issues related to women should be resolved as the section is very vulnerable. I have not gone to other shopping places for a year and if no such booth is there, the authorities should consider setting up such kiosks there as well." Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range) A K Singh inaugurated the 'pink booth' at Janpath market under the Connaught Place police station on Tuesday.
The goal, according to the police, is to assist complainants, particularly women and girls, by providing them with immediate relief in the event of any form of need and by making women market personnel available to them.
A schoolteacher, Naina Singh, remarked, “after this initiative, women, not only customers but hawkers also, will obviously feel safer. Women have very strong instinct, they can easily identify if they are uncomfortable with someone. If somebody is making her uncomfortable, in general scenario, she ignores. However, if she knows that there is police nearby, she can take the issue to them in the form of complaint, etc.” Sub-inspector Lovey Priyanka, who is accompanied by two constables, is in charge of the 'pink booth' at Janpath market.
Priyanka expressed her thoughts, “we have not received any complaint so far (till Saturday), but many women came here to enquire about the booth as it is completely pink. We tell them that it is being run by the female staff to assist women. If they have any kind of issue or want to lodge a complaint, they can submit it here without going to a police station. There are many women-related issues which they feel uncomfortable while talking to a man. We have got a positive response so far after interacting with women who have come here for enquiry.”
According to Deepak Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), "the 'pink booth' has been opened at Janpath market in order to instil a sense of security among women in the area and make them safer. Women can talk to female police staff about their issues more comfortably and without hesitation. The booth will operate seven days a week from 12 pm to 10 pm with three women staffers. We also have a police booth at Khan Market having both male and female staffers."
Janpath market is a renowned shopping destination for apparel, home décor, artwork, and other items.
Kamla, 57, the head of the women hawkers outside the market area, praised the police initiative, saying she has been hawking for 40 years and has never seen such a facility in the market before.
She said "we are happy that something has been opened here for women. Women hawkers come here in the morning and leave by late evening. We deal with different types of people every day. After opening of the booth, we feel safer and can easily approach police anytime”.
Vaishali Varshney, a college student, believes that this would assist women who are harassed. She stated, "the victim in such cases can alert police and the accused can be nabbed quickly." .
