‘181’ helpline soon to be handed over to DCW

Aiming to strengthen the city’s existing 24x7 helpline, a number-based assistance system for women in distress, will soon be handed over to the Delhi Commission for Women. According to the Commission, the process of shifting the commanding authority of the “safety on call” helpline is likely to begin from the next fortnight.

According to sources, under the DCW chairman Swati Maliwal, ‘181’, the helpline is expected to be redefined and launched under DCW chairman within the next 15 days.

So far the helpline 181 was under the Delhi government but after the meetings in the last few weeks between the Ministry and Maliwal, this decision was taken.

“The Delhi Commission for Women has already given a proposal to the Delhi government to redefine the helpline and very soon some action from the government is expected to be taken,” Maliwal said. The helpline is also facing a shortage of staff and logistics as the institution is facing financial crisis.

As per the proposed plan, the vehicles used for the helpline will be increased from five to 22. In Delhi and in every district, offices will be opened so that the complaints received on the helpline could be attended to as soon as possible. Also, the Delhi Commission for Women may decide to increase the number of outdoor and indoor volunteers.

“On an average, the helpline receives 2,000 calls per day, of which 500 cases are of serious nature, demanding immediate attention,” said one of the operators of the call center, centered in the secretariat.

In the last two years, the helpline has received more than 12 lakh calls in which around half the number of complaints have been converted into cases under different sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The helpline was launched by the then Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit after a 23-year-old physiotherapist, Nirbhaya, was gang-raped in a moving bus on December 16, 2012.

However, the much-hyped initiative to provide “call on safety” to women was witnessing an underrated performance. Initially, the helpline was launched only in Delhi, but the then Union Minister Kapil Sibal said that the Central government had planned to allot the ‘181’ number to guarantee women safety across the country.