NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Women on Saturday said there are more than 5,000 spas operating in Delhi, whereas the three municipal bodies claim there are only 498 spas. The Commission had conducted an inspection of spa centres across the national capital and busted alleged sex rackets operating in these centres. The women’s panel had issued a notice to a search engine, seeking information related to the registration of spa centres on their portal. It said it had been informed that several advertisements of spa and massage centres are available on the website.
In its reply, the portal said there are more than 5,000 spas operating in Delhi. The panel said the three civic bodies — East Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation — claim there are only 498 spas.“In the eyes of the MCD ‘all is well’! There are a total of 498 spas in Delhi in the records of the three MCDs, while according to the Justdial company they have more than 5,000 spas registered! How are 90% spas run without MCD & Police information? Justdial has asked for a list of spas. There must be action! [sic],” DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, in a tweet.
In a letter to the commission, the search engine informed the panel about the high number of massage centres operating in the city and sought six weeks time to collate the data, the panel said. The Commission strongly disagreed with the company’s stand that the data sought is personal and sensitive and in a fresh notice, sought complete list by October 17.
The details of the spas registered on the portal is very crucial to unearth and crackdown several illegal sex rackets in the capital operating in the garb of massage and spa parlour, it said. Also, till date, none of the MCDs have changed their licensing mechanism or issued advisories to prevet sex rackets operating in the capital, the panel said. With PTI inputs
Front for sex-rackets, prostitution
Recently, the women’s panel had issued summons to Delhi Police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi over non-arrests and non-sealing of a spa. DCW had received a complaint against a website wherein it was informed that a sex racket was being run in the spa centre in North Delhi’s Burari.