Delhi Commission for Women seeks civic body’s reply after GB Road fire

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday issued notices to North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) and Delhi Fire Service (DFS) seeking responses about alleged unauthorised construction and safety arrangements at brothels located on Swami Shradhanand Marg, popularly known Garstin Bastion (GB) Road.

Directing the municipal corporation to file its reply by November 11, the panel sought to know whether the agency had ever conducted a survey of the area or took any initiative towards the closure of these brothels. The fire department has been asked to submit a reply on safety audit of the area, if conducted ever, and any no-objection certificates issued to any of the buildings.

The notices were issued a day after a fire broke out in two brothels. As many as 10 fire engines were pressed into service to douse the blaze. On Friday, a team of DCW led by its chief Swati Maliwal inspected the site. The occupants of the ill-fated buildings were shifted to the temporary shelter. The team interacted with the women to understand the challenges being faced by them in the shelter after which the notices were issued.

Rahul Tahiliani, spokesperson of the commission said the women are forced to live in inhuman conditions in brothels. “The commission has been fighting a long battle to ensure closure of these brothels and is committed towards its cause and will take up the matter with much more activeness in the coming days,” he said. Maliwal said she had worked hard to try to ensure closure of the GB Road brothels and rehabilitation of the women and children living a miserable life in these small rooms.

“These brothels are being run by influential and powerful people. Luckily, no one was injured in the fire, but the living condition of women in these brothels is very bad. Hundreds and thousands of lives are confined in these dingy cells,” she added.