According to the Public Works Department (PWD), which oversees maintenance of the Assembly complex, monkeys are often spotted in large numbers in and around the premises. They reportedly jump on electric wires, dish antennas, and building fixtures, leading to damage and potential safety hazards for legislators, staff, and visitors.
To deal with the issue, the PWD has issued a fresh tender seeking agencies that can provide trained personnel skilled in producing langur sounds. The method is considered effective and humane, as monkeys naturally fear langurs and retreat without being harmed. Officials said the selected agency may also deploy a live langur, in accordance with applicable norms, to reinforce the deterrent effect.
Under the proposed arrangement, the personnel will be deployed on all working days and Saturdays. Each individual will work in an eight-hour shift outside the Assembly complex. The agency will be responsible for ensuring discipline, proper equipment, and adherence to safety guidelines. Performance-based monitoring and insurance coverage for the deployed staff have also been included in the tender conditions.
An official familiar with the matter said earlier measures, including the installation of langur cutouts, had become ineffective over time. “Monkeys are no longer afraid of static effigies and have been seen sitting on them. The earlier contract for langur impersonators has ended, which is why a new tender has been floated,” the official said.
Delhi has previously relied on similar measures during high-profile events. During the G-20 Summit in 2023, langur cutouts and trained sound mimics were deployed across the city, particularly along routes used by foreign delegates and in sensitive zones such as Lutyens’ Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Prime Minister’s residence. Around 30 to 40 trained personnel were engaged during the summit, and special government-issued passes were provided to them.
The monkey problem has long plagued the Delhi Assembly. In 2017, a monkey entered the House during a session, disrupting proceedings and forcing a temporary adjournment as security staff struggled to remove the animal.
Officials said the latest plan is expected to provide a sustained and non-lethal solution to the issue. The effectiveness of the deployment will be reviewed periodically, with scope for expansion if required.
