A women’s safety facility in Dehradun’s Paltan Bazaar is currently shut, weakening the purpose for which it was introduced as a pilot project in 2024. The pink police booth near CNI Tiraha has a lock on its entrance, while 2-wheelers are parked around it.
The booth was created on the DM’s directions to support women visiting the crowded market. It was designed as a dedicated help desk rather than a conventional police booth, with the aim of responding to complaints of harassment, women-related offences and other difficulties.
Facility intended for immediate help
The original arrangement envisaged female police personnel being assigned to the booth from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. That schedule was intended to give women access to prompt assistance during market hours and help create a safer public environment.
Officials had also viewed the Paltan Bazaar installation as the city’s first such experiment. The plan was to consider similar pink booths in other busy parts of Dehradun after assessing the pilot project.
For a period after its launch, the facility appeared to be operating. Its current closure, however, means women visiting the market cannot use the booth as an immediately available help point. The vehicles parked beside it also indicate that the space is no longer being used solely for its intended public-safety purpose.
Questions over the pilot project
The locked booth has brought attention to the gap between creating a safety facility and keeping it functional. The available information does not state when the booth was closed or whether a replacement arrangement for women’s assistance is currently in place.
It also does not provide details about any official decision on restarting the booth, assigning personnel again or extending the model to other crowded areas. Those points remain relevant because the project was introduced specifically to offer quick support in a busy shopping district.
What the closure means for visitors
The booth’s current condition does not establish that women are without all police support in Paltan Bazaar. It does show that the dedicated pink booth itself is not operating at the location described.
Maintaining a clearly available help desk would be important to the project’s stated purpose. The next verified development would be an official update on the facility’s status and staffing.
Conclusion
The pink booth near CNI Tiraha was launched to provide women visiting Paltan Bazaar with direct police assistance, but it is currently locked and surrounded by parked 2-wheelers. Its operating status and future now require clarification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is the closed pink booth located?
The booth is near CNI Tiraha in Dehradun’s Paltan Bazaar.
Q. When was the pink booth introduced?
It was started in 2024 as a pilot project on the DM’s directions.
Q. What was the booth created for?
It was intended to help women facing harassment, women-related offences or other problems in the market.
Q. Who was expected to staff the facility?
The planned arrangement involved female police personnel serving at the booth.
Q. What were the proposed operating hours?
The initial plan mentioned duty coverage from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Q. Were more pink booths planned?
The Paltan Bazaar booth was described as the first experiment, with similar facilities planned for other crowded areas.
