Following the footsteps of the Delhi Government where the DM issues orders u/s 144 Cr. P.C from time to time, now the District Magistrate, Chandigarh (DM) has in an Order dated August 31, 2018 directed all organizations like B.P.O.’s, call centres, corporate houses, media houses, companies, firms and other similar entities, providing cab services for the purposes of picking and dropping their employees, as well as the transporters, security agencies, drivers and security guards providing such facilities to follow certain checks and balances as prescribed in the Order.
The order will come into force on September 8, 2018 and remain in effect till November 6, 2018.
Background:
Various organizations function round the clock and hire cab services / transporters for providing pick up and drop services to their employees including women employees, even during night hours. These cabs are hired on contract and their operators/ security guard agencies and drivers are usually not monitored. This prompts criminal and anti-social elements who look for soft targets during such odd hours making women employees who travel during late night hours more vulnerable to crime.
With a view to ensure safe environment and security to employees, especially women employees working till late hours, the DM has directed such organizations, transporters, security agencies, drivers and security guards to follow the standards prescribed below-
- Maintain data of all employees, security personnel, cab drivers and contractual workers working with them.
- Hiring security personnel and other contractual personnel as far as possible from licensed agencies only.
- Ensure sound background verification of all the employees including contractual employees.
- Ensure that a male colleague or duly verified security guard is present in cab carrying women during night hours (8:00 pm to 7:00 am) and the female employees do not travel alone with the driver at such hours.
- Routes chosen should be such that a woman employee is not the first to be picked or last to be dropped.
- Cab dropping off female employees during night time to remain halted after dropping her off till such employee has confirmed her arrival at the place of stay by way of phone call.
- Where the house of the female employee is located such that the approach road is not motorable, the accompanying verified security guard or male colleague shall drop her off to her house on foot and confirm her safe arrival.
- Check and control on the movements of the vehicle to be exercised to prevent unwarranted activities of the cab drivers.
- GPS system to be installed in cabs, especially those carrying female employees.
Source: District Magistrate, Chandigarh
