Chandigarh: Every time a major tragedy strikes Panjab University’s South Campus, questions on safety, security and infrastructure are raised. Assurances follow but, students say, action doesn’t.The death of a research scholar on Tuesday has underlined the concerns again. What makes this especially terrifying for students is that Jyoti died on a well-used stretch, not some isolated path.According to students, despite having electrical boxes, poles and underground cables, the area has been poorly maintained.The place was waterlogged after the rain, but no barricades or warning signs were placed to stop students from using it.For many, the tragedy has revived memories of another life lost. In March last year, UIET student Aditya Thakur was fatally stabbed during a concert on the South Campus. The murder exposed glaring security lapses and prompted a magisterial inquiry.At the time, students alleged that unrestricted entry and inadequate checking allowed outsiders to enter the campus with ease. Demands for tighter security, better surveillance, stricter access control and improved emergency response were raised.Such concerns surfaced even before the killing. Reports had highlighted that the South Campus remained porous, with multiple gates left open and little checking of visitors entering or leaving.Despite repeated assurances after the crime, students say there has been little visible change in access control.While security concerns have persisted, infrastructure issues have also remained unresolved. Students have pointed to poorly lit internal roads, isolated stretches, inadequate CCTV coverage, overgrown vegetation and delayed maintenance of electrical and civic infrastructure.Ironically, even as the Chandigarh administration approved the South Campus Master Plan and Panjab University announced a proposed Student Activity Centre worth around Rs 10 crore for Sector 25, students say basic safety infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the campus’s expansion.
