DCW to form team with North MCD, cops, govt to raze illegal brothels

The formation of joint team was proposed by the North MCD Commissioner P K Gupta in reply to the notice issued by DCW on ownership and illegal constructions in the buildings of the area.

“Promila Gupta, member of DCW has been designated as part of the team from our side,” said Swati Maliwal, DCW Chairperson. She also informed that in its reply on ownership of the buildings in the area, North MCD commissioner, however, provided partial records of twenty-four occupants and taxpayers of the area to the DCW. 

The Corporation, according to Maliwal, submitted that it was not aware of the owners of the brothels in the area.  Calling the ignorance of the North MCD and Delhi Police about the ownership as ‘sad and shocking’ Maliwal reiterated that she is committed to break the nexus of traffickers in GB Road and will pursue it till the very end.

“Despite the Commission raising the issue so many times, tehkhanas continue to exist in GB Road and human trafficking continues unabated in the heart of Delhi,” she added.

The joint team will conduct a survey to verify, identify the illegal constructions and ownerships of the brothels. According to Maliwal, the team will also submit a proposed plan for demolishing unauthorised constructions of hidden cells in the brothels which are used for hiding trafficked girls. 

In the past, DCW had also convened various meetings with the stakeholders of the North MCD to identify and penalise the owners of GB Road.  Maliwal has been critical of the absence of records and transparency regarding the ownership of brothels at GB Road. 

Maliwal earlier, had also indicated that she had also got leads of a minister in the Union government and a senior Delhi leader to be owners of brothels but did not provide any evidence to support her claims.