Bangalore: Soon after the horrific Delhi gang rape that rocked the country last year, there was a clamour to increase the safety of women travelling in BMTC buses.
The authorities came up with a proposal to install CCTV cameras at all the major BMTC bus stations, including Traffic and Transit Management Centres (TTMC). However, they currently exist only in Kempegowda and Shivajinagar bus stations.
In addition, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had assured that two CCTV cameras each will be installed inside 500 BMTC buses.
“The work for installation of cameras in buses is in progress. As of now they have been installed in 200 buses and another 300 will be ready by January 2014,” said C. G. Anand, BMTC general manager (Technical).
BMTC Managing Director Anjum Parvez told Deccan Chronicle, “In the last tender that we called, no one could qualify for it. We are getting ready to call for the tender once again. Once the tender is passed, we will have CCTV cameras installed at all major bus stations.”
Rampant harassment
Earlier, a survey by Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike had revealed that cases of eve teasing were rampant in BMTC buses.
Women travelling in these buses have to face lewd comments, stalking, physical violence and even taking of photos and videos on phones without consent.
The survey stated that two out of three women, who travel in BMTC buses face regular harassment from co-passengers, conductors and drivers.
The Vedike members had even staged a protest in October and forced BMTC to form a committee to look into these problems.
Parvez claimed that he has been working closely with the city police to come up with a solution to address issues pertaining to harassment of women by co-passengers.
“I can take immediate actions against the BMTC drivers and conductors, if they were found misbehaving. But when an action is committed by a co-passenger, I have no hold over it. However, very soon we will come up with a solution to address this issue.”
