CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to undertake an independent third-party evaluation of projects implemented under the Nirbhaya Safe City initiative to assess whether the interventions have improved women’s safety and their experience of using public spaces.
The civic body has floated a tender to appoint an independent consultant to conduct a detailed assessment of the outcomes, including whether women feel more confident using public spaces, particularly during early mornings and late nights.
The evaluation will also assess whether women find it easier to approach the police for counselling and reporting crimes, whether law enforcement agencies have improved their response to tracking and identifying criminals, and whether there has been a decline in crimes against women and children.
The consultant will assess a range of interventions, including street-lighting improvements, surveillance cameras, women police mobile pink patrol vehicles, women’s toilets, mobile toilets, school safety initiatives, self-defence programmes, menstrual hygiene facilities, the Gender Lab, Nirbhaya counselling centre, cyber-forensics lab, GIS-based crime mapping, the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) building, MTC security systems, the 181 women’s helpline and pink autos.
Chennai is among eight cities selected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the Safe City project, aimed at combating violence against women and children in urban areas.
Projects worth Rs 425.06 crore were approved for Chennai for three years from 2018-19 to 2020-21. The Safe City project was subsequently extended until March 2026. According to MHA data, Rs 396.51 crore had been released for Chennai as of December 8, 2023, against the approved Rs 425.06 crore. The funding follows a 60:40 centre-state sharing pattern.
The evaluation will use a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative assessments. At least 273 women will be surveyed in each of the GCC’s 15 zones, covering a minimum of 4,095 respondents using public spaces, public transport and safety-related services.
The consultant will also conduct interviews, focus group discussions, stakeholder consultations, safety audits and field observations, and interact with beneficiaries.
Findings will be compared with crime statistics, administrative records, footfall data and project documents. The consultancy must be completed within 135 days of issuance of the work order.
