If restaurants are open 24x7, city crime graph may dip: Kapil Mishra
3 Aug 2016 6:48 AM IST
Delhi is celebrating its growth in tourism with gusto. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in its measures, is leaving no stone unturned to portray the national Capital as ‘Brand Delhi’ through fests and festivals and even reviving and renovating as many as 200 monuments.
In an exclusive interview to Utsav Basu and Godhuli Barat, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra emphasises on how efforts are on to make the city’s notorious and dark alleys safe and impervious for those who reside here and for foreigners who throng the Capital throughout the year.
Excerpts:
Q: What are the major initiatives your government has taken on tourism?
A: There are two major initiatives we are taking in this regard: Firstly, we will turn Delhi into a brand and campaign for the city. We will campaign for ‘Brand Delhi’ and promote its history. Secondly, we will organise festivals. It will be a three-week long annual fest in the month of November. This will be on the lines of those held in Dubai and Singapore where people will come to see Delhi and soak in the spirit.
Q: What will be the features of the Delhi festival?
A: Delhi festival will have shopping fests, cultural events, discussions, corporate events etc. There are 11 districts and we will be organising large events in each district.
Q: What is your view on letting eateries and restaurants operate 24x7?
A: Personally, I feel eateries and restaurants should operate 24x7 as that might help in bringing down the crime graph of the city. Since there are no shops opened at night and the streets are deserted, crimes happen. If you notice carefully, then a street in which even a paan shop is open till late night, there is less crime.
Q: What are the steps you are taking towards maintenance, rehabilitation and awareness of Delhi’s monuments?
A: In collaboration with INTECH, we are planning to renovate the monuments of the city. Earlier, INTECH had said they would help in reviving 18 monuments but after a meeting with them they have promised help to renovate 200 monuments in the next five years.
Q: At a time when your party is about to fight an election in Punjab, you had earlier talked about reducing the age of drinking in Delhi. Don’t you think that the city will reel under the same menace as Punjab?
A: The legal age of alcohol consumption is 25 years in Punjab. What results did it show? These moves are taken to facilitate more of black marketeering. And, this is my personal opinion that when you are framing the laws, it should connect with the ground realities and must not help the police to blackmail people.
Q: Do you feel that the states which have banned liquor are promoting black marketeering?
A: It can vary from state to state. What is the situation in Bihar cannot be connected with that of Delhi. Gujarat is a city where black marketeering is and has taken place after the ban. Bihar has implemented the same ban but I am sure Nitishji has taken steps to curb the menace.
Q: You have introduced teachers for Urdu and Punjabi languages in the Delhi government schools. Why not for any other language?
A: The four official languages of Delhi are Hindi, English, Urdu and Punjabi and we are providing teachers for all the official languages. Any school can teach any language. There is no ban in teaching a particular language but if there is a demand for other options, they too shall be included.
Next Story
