Representational photo
Credit: iStock photo
Bengaluru: The Safety for Women (SFW) collective launched the 'Be the Light' initiative, urging participants to pledge support for women's safety and speak out against abuse.
The initiative specifically aims to identify and address poorly lit and vulnerable areas across the city.
During a panel discussion, SFW founder Poornima called for collaboration over blame. "Instead of playing a blame game, we plan to come together and map these dark spots. We will gather crowd-sourced data, which will help the BMP understand where improvements are needed," she said.
BBMP East Zonal Commissioner Snehal R said, "Every year, Rs 10 crore is allocated for streetlight maintenance, but not for new infrastructure. However, this year, we have requested Rs 18 crore from surplus funds for new infrastructure."
Actor Priyanka Upendra mentioned the role of actors in raising awareness and using their platforms to draw attention to poorly lit areas in their neighbourhoods.
"In the US, there is a concept called neighbourhood watch. We cannot rely solely on the police for help after a crime has occurred. We should educate children about safety and increase the number of CCTV cameras," she added.
Pushpa S, Chief General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Bescom, stressed that local authorities must first provide infrastructure before power supply can be ensured.
"Our mission is to become number 1 in customer satisfaction in Asia. Under the Nirbhaya CCTV Implementation Scheme, we are committed to providing power to CCTV cameras within 24 hours of installation by the traffic police," she explained.