Delhi Chief Minister Atishi requested Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena
on Sunday for the immediate approval of a proposal to reinstate over
10,000 bus marshals in the city.
File Photo of Delhi CM Atishi
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi requested Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena
on Sunday for the immediate approval of a proposal to reinstate over
10,000 bus marshals in the city.
Emphasising the critical role these marshals play in ensuring women’s
safety in public transport, she expressed concern over the delay in
the approval of the proposal submitted on November 13.
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In her letter, the Delhi CM highlighted the challenges women faced
prior to the deployment of bus marshals, recalling a time when
harassment was an everyday reality for women commuting in Delhi’s
buses. “Our mothers, sisters, and daughters felt unsafe while stepping
out for work, school, or college. This pain was felt in every
household.”
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She recounted how the Delhi government tackled the issue by deploying
over 10,000 bus marshals, who worked diligently to ensure public
safety.
She claimed that the government’s efforts paid off with numerous
miscreants being arrested and the women feeling secure while traveling
for the first time.
However, the CM expressed dismay over the subsequent alleged actions
of certain officers who conspired to first withhold the salaries of
the marshals and terminated their employment altogether on October 31
last year.
In her plea to the LG, Atishi said, “Stripping these marshals of their
jobs has weakened the safety net that empowered millions of women to
travel fearlessly every day.”
She alleged that despite the request from the government for strict
action against these officers, they were rewarded with promotions.
According to Atishi, the termination of the bus marshals has not only
deprived 10,000 families of their livelihoods but also compromised the
safety of women traveling on buses.
She apprised the LG that the Delhi government had unanimously passed a
proposal on November 13, 2024, to reappoint the marshals and had
submitted it to his office, but the response regarding the same is
still awaited.
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