Ensuring safety inside buses

While railway stations, bus stands and metro stations in the City have some mechanism in place to ensure the safety and security of travellers, there’s no system as such inside the buses to monitor any suspicious person or thing. 

  
Earlier, when asked about safety measures on buses, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) authorities had said that they didn’t feel threatened in anyway. But the recent case — the alleged molestation of a young girl on a BMTC bus — has forced the authorities to sit up and think of having some security measures inside the buses.

Anjum Parwez, managing director, BMTC tells Metrolife that two cameras each will be installed in BMTC buses. “We will install cameras in 1,000 buses and gradually increase the number depending on how workable it is.”   

Anjum further states that the move is to instil confidence in the mind of the commuter, although there is no visible threat.  “The cameras are waterproof and unbreakable.They come with a recording chip that is capable of storing information for at least 24 hours before it is downloaded at the respective depot and stored,” remarks Anjum.

He notes that in addition to the cameras, there will be 11 special teams who will move across the City and ensure that buses stop at designated places, that they don’t overspeed and will monitor their movement so that nothing untoward happens. “We have also proposed to include a section on ‘gender sensitisation’ in the training module for BMTC conductors and drivers. This is to make them more aware and alert about the safety of women,” he says.       

BMTC commuters feel that the authorities are not doing enough to ensure adequate security on buses.

They are insecure when travelling on a bus, especially at night. Geethanjali V, a student, observes that although buses are supposed to be the safest mode of public transport, it’s hard to check people when the buses are overcrowded.

“It’s not easy to spot someone if they’re carrying a harmful object or a weapon. The government must take stringent measures to tighten security on buses,” she adds.    

Shariq M, another regular traveller on buses, says, “Buses are meant for public
transport and anybody can get in without any restriction. They are allowed to carry whatever they want and nobody is checked. There must be some safety mechanism in place in the buses as well,” feels Shariq.

Rekha M, another student, feels what had happened in Delhi with the young girl could happen here as well with more women going out to work and returning late at night.
“People travelling by buses must be more alert and although there is no threat
of any terror strike, the government must be prepared for the worst,” concludes Rekha.