The state health department has asked the government medical colleges on Monday to take measures fast to boost safety and improve work conditions on the campuses.

The medical colleges have been asked to install more CCTV cameras, increase the number of women guards, set up separate duty rooms with attached washrooms for male and female doctors and arrange for proper illumination across the premises.

The directives were given at a meeting between health department officials and the heads of 24 government medical colleges.

A health department official said each medical college has been given ₹5 lakh to improve the working conditions of the doctors and enhance security on the campuses.

The junior doctors, who are on a cease-work to protest the rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, have been demanding security and improvement in their working conditions.

Among their demands are proper rooms to rest at night.

Some of the protesting doctors said on Monday many of their demands were yet to be met.

A health department official said on Monday evening the medical colleges have already started work on boosting security and improving working conditions.

“Work to implement all these measures has started. The PWD is doing the work, for which ₹5 lakh has been given to each medical college. We told the medical colleges today that if they require more funds, we will provide that,” the official said.

An official at a medical college in Calcutta said CCTVs have being procured and their installation has started.

On August 17, the state government had announced a slew of initiatives aimed at ensuring safer lives for women.

The government will launch a mobile app, deploy special women security personnel and encourage authorities to avoid assigning night shifts to women as part of efforts to provide safe working conditions for women at government establishments.

The measures will be implemented under a flagship programme, Rattirer Sathi (Helpers of the Night).

A mobile app with alarm devices that all working women can download will be launched. The app will be connected to local police stations or police control rooms.

Also, Rattirer Sathi volunteers, who will mostly be private security personnel, would be deployed at government offices where women work at night.