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Inside BHU: Students cite safety risks, unchecked entry, and neglected infrastructure
Inside BHU: Students cite safety risks, unchecked entry, and neglected infrastructure Premium
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), founded by Madan Mohan Malaviya over a century ago, was envisioned as a leading center of learning. Today, students and faculty say the university is struggling with safety lapses, infrastructure decay, and poor regulation—issues they claim have gone unresolved for years.
The foremost concern voiced by students and faculty alike is the lack of safety measures for women despite being home to thousands of female students from across India. “I don't feel comfortable walking alone after sunset,” says a postgraduate student from the Faculty of Arts. “The streetlights barely work, and outsiders loiter around the campus gates even at night. We've written complaints, but most are buried in files.”
The BHU Women's Cell has repeatedly flagged this problem. “We've recommended better illumination near women's hostels, CCTV surveillance in academic zones, and gender-sensitive patrol staff,” said a senior member of the Cell. “But most of our proposals are stuck in procedural limbo. Safety is not a luxury, it's a right.”
The irony is palpable. A university that prides itself on its heritage and intellectual excellence seems to falter when it comes to ensuring basic security for its women.
With sprawling grounds spread over 1,300 acres, BHU has numerous entry and exit points, most of them open throughout the day, and many even late into the night. There are few guards, fewer cameras, and almost no ID checks. “The campus is practically porous,” says a faculty member from the Institute of Science. “Anyone can enter, shopkeepers; YouTubers, even local business men as this is the shortcut traffic free route. It's a free-for-all.”
For female students, this lack of regulation translates into daily anxiety. Several have complained of outsiders photographing women on campus or filming reels near hostels and academic complexes. “This is not a tourist attraction, although a historical one,” said one undergraduate student angrily. “We came here to study, not to be filmed or stared at.”
Experts say such lapses make universities soft targets for intrusion, theft, and harassment. “Controlled access and surveillance aren't optional,” explains a retired IPS officer familiar with campus security systems. “They're the foundation of student safety.”
In the midst of BHU's architectural grandeur stands the Vishwanath Mandir that belongs to the University. Yet, the temple today reflects visible signs of decay, peeling paint, cracked flooring, and fading inscriptions.
“It's heartbreaking,” said a geology professor. “Its neglect mirrors how the administration has lost touch with the university's soul.”
The deterioration of heritage structures isn't just aesthetic; it reflects how even symbolic spaces meant for mental and emotional well-being are being sidelined amid bureaucratic inertia.
BHU's internal roads, designed for quiet mobility, are now dominated by heavy vehicles and outsiders. Trucks and private cars cut through narrow academic lanes, while young men from outside enter the premises to create social media content.
A Women's Cell report from last semester termed this trend “a systemic safety hazard.” It also noted that the influx of outsiders, often without security verification, poses a direct threat to women's security on campus.
“The campus is losing its sanctity,” says a research scholar from the Department of Sociology. “Between noise, dust, and intrusive strangers, it feels less like a university and more like a public thoroughfare.”
Autos and e-rickshaws have become the lifeline of BHU's sprawling campus. But their convenience comes with chaos. Many operate without licenses or adherence to speed limits.
“In the last three years, several accidents have occurred , some near hostels of Brocha and Birla, others around the central library,” said a hostel warden. “There are no speed breakers, no fines, no monitoring. Every day feels like a close call.”
Last year, a female student narrowly escaped serious injury after being struck by a speeding toto near the Kala Bhavan area. The administration promised stricter regulation, but students claim little has changed.
In its latest communication to the Vice-Chancellor's office, the BHU Women's Cell made five urgent demands: CCTV cameras at all key junctions and hostel peripheries; improved street lighting across campus pathways; 24×7 helpline and mobile patrol units for women students.; ID-based entry and visitor verification at all gates; and strict regulation of campus transport, including licenses and speed checks.
“These are basic, actionable points,” said the Cell's coordinator. “If implemented properly, they could drastically improve safety within weeks. What we need now is not another committee, but accountability.”
When contacted, a senior administrative official from BHU acknowledged the issues but maintained that the university is “working on a comprehensive security upgrade.”
“Proposals for enhanced CCTV coverage, smart gate systems, and streetlight repair are already under process,” the official said. “We're also considering a grievance redressal app to ensure quicker responses to student complaints.”
However, many on campus view these as recurring promises with no tangible results. “We've heard the same assurances for years,” says a faculty member from the Institute of Social Sciences. “Students don't need press statements, they need functioning lights and guards.”
Published - October 29, 2025 03:03 pm IST
Source: The Hindu
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