The beat system, they claimed, has reduced crime to a large extent in their colonies and it has also helped in increased interaction with the police.

Speaking at a meeting attended by the police officials and the colony and jhuggi pradhans, a representative of the gawala colony said: "We feel that the police station has come to our colony. Earlier, we had a great difficulty in communicating with the police as the police station was located far away."

Addressing the colony and jhuggi residents, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kiran Bedi exhorted them to educate themselves as it will help in curbing crime. She also asked the beat officers to coerce them into education.

"You do not need class rooms, trees are enough; that is how we did it in Tihar Jail," she said. She said that beat officers will soon be given challan slips where they can take down the registration numbers of the offending vehicle.

The representatives from Colony Number 4 pointed out problems they are facing because of a particular industry as their trucks block the road to the colony. The police officials told the area police to tow the trucks away if they were not parked properly.