Appoint CDVs as home guards for deployment as bus marshals: CM

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday ordered the appointment of civil defence volunteers (CDVs) as home guards and to depute them as marshals in public transport buses in Delhi, officials said.

In a note, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that “legal objection” has been raised about the continuation of civil defence volunteers as bus marshals.

The move to transition Civil Defence volunteers to Home Guards is poised to provide continuity to the existing workforce while addressing legal concerns raised against their role as bus marshals.

It has been said that civil defence volunteers cannot be engaged in regular duties and that they can be called only during any disaster. “Therefore, it has been suggested that home guards be appointed as bus marshals instead of civil defence volunteers,” said

the note.

“I have separately proposed to the L-G that civil defence volunteers should be continued as bus marshals till an adequate number of home guards are appointed in their place. If the bus marshals are suddenly removed, it will not be good for the safety of women travellers,” the chief minister said, according to the note.

In his statement, Kejriwal emphasised the potential risks associated with the

abrupt removal of bus marshals and further stressed the significance of preserving the financial well-being of their families, many of whom hail from

humble backgrounds.

The decision to appoint these Civil Defence Volunteers as Home Guards is a proactive measure not only to safeguard their livelihoods but also to contribute to the government’s efforts in ensuring the safety of women travellers.

Since the existing civil defence volunteers who are working as bus marshals have the required experience a plan should be developed to appoint them only as home

guards and continue with them as bus marshals, unless there is any specific complaint against any individual, the chief minister said.

“So, if we appoint the same set of people as home guards and put them on bus marshal duty, on one hand the government will get experienced people and on the other hand their jobs will continue,” said the note.With pti inputs