Delhi government upgrades security and lighting at Astha Kunj Park

Delhi government officials repaired street lights and increased security patrols at Astha Kunj Park in south-east Delhi. These actions follow a gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by three men posing as police officers inside the park one month ago.

The government implemented these measures after Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu ordered a Safety Audit Report.

Officials found that the 142.41-acre park had inadequate lighting, noting that one-third of the 1,500 surrounding street lights were broken at the time of the incident. In response, authorities repaired all 340 existing lights inside the park and installed 105 new ones. Officials are also planning to install high-mast lights in specific locations.

Because 99% of the park sits within the Morphological Ridge, an ecologically sensitive zone with strict legal protections, the government says it is planning these additions to avoid harming the local flora and fauna. The park now features night patrols by security guards using siren-equipped motorcycles and torches. Officials also installed four CCTV cameras, repaired damaged sections of the boundary wall, and made all gates lockable. Wicket gates now close at 9 p.m.

To ensure accountability, security guards must use biometric attendance systems and undergo physical roll calls.