The Delhi Police has issued comprehensive guidelines mandating joint foot patrols by district and traffic personnel and requiring senior officers to remain on field duty during peak evening hours. This move follows directions from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and aims to enhance public safety, police visibility, and traffic management across the national capital.
Key Directives in the Circular
According to the circular issued by the Delhi Commissioner of Police, joint foot patrols by district and traffic police officers will be carried out every Saturday, Sunday, and two additional days each week from 5 pm to 8 pm. Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), Additional DCPs, and Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) have been instructed to personally participate in the exercise, treating it as mandatory field duty rather than a routine formality.
Objectives of the Patrols
During patrols, officers will engage with resident welfare associations (RWAs), market welfare associations (MWAs), traders, and local residents. They will identify and remove temporary encroachments, address traffic bottlenecks, take action against illegal parking, and inspect vulnerable public places and congestion-prone areas. Coordination with civic agencies for immediate redressal of issues has also been mandated.
Weekly Planning and Reporting
Each district, in consultation with the traffic police, will prepare a weekly foot patrolling plan and maintain detailed records of every exercise, including areas covered, public interactions, enforcement actions, encroachments removed, and traffic issues resolved. The circular further requires districts to submit weekly compliance reports every Monday to senior officers, accompanied by photographs and videos of the patrols conducted and action taken.
Strict Compliance Expected
The circular warns that a strict view would be taken on lapses in compliance, casual approaches, non-participation of supervisory officers, or delays in reporting. The move is expected to strengthen police-public interaction, improve traffic regulation, and ensure quicker resolution of local issues such as encroachments, illegal parking, and road obstructions.
