Kolkata: In a major step to strengthen women’s security after dark, the Kolkata Police has announced the launch of a city-wide network of “Pink Booths,” to be staffed entirely by female officers.
Under the plan, each of the police force’s ten divisions will host two such booths — bringing the total to twenty — located at key intersections across the city.
The booths, active throughout the night, will be led by a woman in charge, supported by a team of three to five women personnel. They will provide immediate assistance to women who feel threatened or unsafe: offering temporary shelter, lodging complaints, or arranging safe transport home.
In parallel, the police have also designated “nodal officers” — women sub-inspectors — at every police station to handle offences against women. The scheme, piloted earlier in the South-East division, will now extend across all divisions, enabling victims to approach female officers directly and speak freely without hesitation.
A senior Kolkata Police official said the aim is to ensure that a woman in distress at night has a secure, approachable refuge where help is immediately available. With Pink Booths and female nodal-officers in place, the city hopes to make nighttime mobility safer for women, promoting confidence and peace of mind on Kolkata’s streets.