The alleged gang rape of a minor at Aastha Kunj Park and the subsequent police encounter near the back gate of Lady Shri Ram College have brought safety around women’s colleges into focus. While LSR returned to offline mode a day after cancelling regular classes, many concerns still remain unaddressed. Accounts from other Delhi University colleges, too, pointed to uneven lighting, harassment on approach roads and anxiety about the journey home.What Students SayDark approaches & fleeting patrolsThere aren’t enough lights outside our college gate. I am in NCC and, often, have to reach college as early as 5am. I don’t feel comfortable there at those hours. A PCR vehicle was stationed nearby for a few days after an incident of harassment about two months ago, but is nowhere to be seen now. Some NCC students were also allegedly filmed without their consent by someone inside a parked truck—Pratibha,Gargi college, Near Siri FortJourney home is part of concernI usually feel safe when classes end around 5pm. But DTC buses are sometimes quite late and, sometimes, drivers don’t stop. I feel uneasy standing at the bus stop after dark. There are farms nearby and, so, safety is an issue—Jhalak,Bhagini Nivedita college, NajafgarhHarassment on wayOne of my roommates was returning to her PG from college around 9.30pm. As she came up the escalator at Green Park metro station, she saw a man who appeared to be intoxicated. He unzipped his trousers and made obscene gestures. She got off the escalator and looked for another way to leave the station—Janhavi,Kamala nehru college, Near Siri FortA safer route, with precautionsThe walk from Karol Bagh metro station to our college feels quite safe. There are food stalls and plenty of people around. We often see police vans. I haven’t faced any misbehaviour or harassment on that route. My parents do ask me to update them if I’m delayedBeyond College Gate, How Safe Are Roads Just Outside?KEY CONCERNS FLAGGEDFelt judged rather than helpedI was studying in IP College for Women till 2024. Patrolling increased after students faced sexual harassment at our annual fest, but we still did not feel safe. The constant police presence outside campus didn’t make us comfortable. A police car was always stationed near the gate. When someone passed a comment about my friend’s dress, nobody helped. When we went to the police for help, we felt judged rather than helped—Shambhavi,Indraprastha college for women, Civil Lines
