Process on to operationalise Nirbhaya proj for women's safety

Process is on to operationalise the Rs 1,405 crore project for women's safety, following the Nirbhaya rape case, that will help track public transport and provide for alarm buttons to alert the authorities, the government said today.
"Detailed framework for operationalisation of scheme under 'Nirbhaya Fund' for Security for women and girl child in public road transport in the country is under process," an official statement said.
The project involving setting up of closed circuit television (CCTVs) and use of global positioning system (GPS) to ensure safety and security of women and girls in distress was approved by the Cabinet last month as a first project since the setting up of the Nirbhaya Fund.

The project was cleared for the implementation in 53 cities with more than a million in population which, among other measures, will ensure installation of emergency buttons in public transport vehicles and video recording facility.
"In the first phase, 32 cities of 13 States in the country with a population of 1 million or more will be covered," the statement said.
The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 1404.68 crore which will be funded by Ministry of Finance from "Nirbhaya Fund".
The project was formulated following a case of rape in Delhi on December 16, 2012. Nirbhaya (fearless) was the pseudonym given to the the 23-year old paramedic who was gang-raped and by six people in a moving bus. After initial treatment here, she was taken to a Singapore hospital in a critical condition where she died on December 29.

"Once the scheme is made operational in major million plus cities, ensuring safe, reliable and comfortable public passenger bus service across the country will be made possible," the statement added.