[ad_1]
Nut holders, decorative lamps, LED strips, light poles and meter boxes — more than 50 complaints have been filed with police since January about the theft of electrical equipment from the area around Pragati Maidan and near the convention center where construction work is underway, officials said.
Officials said that both ITPO and PWDs had recently written to the Delhi Police asking for police personnel around the Pragati Maidan Convention Centre, especially at night, along with patrols.
According to officials, any electrical items made of steel, iron, aluminum and those of scrap value in local stores are stolen from the area. “Expensive electrical equipment from the construction site as well as those installed at the roadside — street lamps, decorative LED strips, aluminum wires, center-edge iron grills, lamps and lanterns designed and even guards installed to prevent theft of lamps — were stolen,” said a senior PWD official.
One complaint was about the missing 200-metre wire and 9 LED lights from poles on Mathura Road, and tri-colour strips affixed to about 30 street lights on the central ridge.
Some of the complaints mentioned the theft of batteries from a locked DG set and nine 200 watt street lights from Mathura Road.
“Mathura Road and Pragati Maidan are near areas of southeast Delhi like Sarai Kali Khan and Nizamuddin where stolen electrical equipment is dealt with,” said a PWD official, who also alleged that the police had failed to take any action.
A senior police officer from New Delhi district said a complaint was received last month at Delhi police headquarters. “We are taking action and have increased patrols and inspections at the mentioned sites. However, deployment cannot be carried out in accordance with their requirements. Our outstanding personnel are deployed around the clock in all areas…”
In May, people with disabilities deployed armed security guards to keep thieves at bay. One of the officials said: “These are private security guards, sometimes they are even attacked by thieves …”.
[ad_2]
