PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Dehradun, often celebrated as a calm and picturesque city nestled in the Himalayan foothills, has received a jolt to its reputation. According to the National Annual Rating Index (NARI) report 2025 of National Commission for Women (NCW), Dehradun has been ranked among the bottom 10 cities in women’s safety out of 31 cities surveyed across India.
The report, based on responses from over 12,700 women, paints a concerning picture of the city’s safety standards and highlights widening gaps in policing and public security. The NARI assessment this year focused on 31 cities, measuring them across parameters such as public safety, gender inclusivity, accessibility to services and women’s confidence in law enforcement. In this ranking, Dehradun’s placement among the least safe cities indicates not only poor safety outcomes but also declining public trust in local systems meant to safeguard women.
The report shows that at the national level, four in 10 urban women said they feel “not so safe” or “unsafe” in public spaces while six in 10 said they feel safe overall. This shows that while the majority may feel safe, these figures still fall short of building real confidence for women in daily life. The report further finds that harassment cases remain underreported. Only one in three women across the surveyed cities said they report incidents and just 25 per cent believe authorities will take effective action. This low trust in institutions is a key barrier to improving women’s safety, as per the report.
It also depicts that NARI fills in the dark figure of unreported harassment, brings context and detail to women’s daily experiences and directly foregrounds the lived reality (perception, not just case count) of safety. While the report places Dehradun among the bottom 10 in terms of safety for women, the police insist they are actively working to address all related issues in Dehradun.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Dehradun superintendent of police Pramod Kumar said, “Dehradun police resolves all women-related issues on a priority basis. All cases are time-bound and we ensure that each case is resolved within two months.” He stated that to make filing complaints easier, the police have established pink police booths at various locations across the city. These booths ensure that women can easily report any kind of offence, he added.
The SP stated that the police carry out programmes to inform women of all age groups that they can and should report any wrongdoings or crimes to the police. He said that for those hesitant or concerned about visiting a police station, the department has introduced options for e-FIRs, allowing women to file complaints online or via phone.
The Gaura Shakti app further ensures that only women police personnel handle these cases. Women do not even have to come to the police station for the process, Kumar said. The SP also stated that he does not fully agree with the report that Dehradun is among the unsafe cities but added that the police will continue working to make the city safer and ensure that all women trust authorities and feel empowered to register their complaints.
