New Delhi: At 4pm, there was little reason for the police personnel waiting in Karol Bagh to expect a crowd. They had picked a spot surrounded by coaching centres and paying guest accommodations, knowing students would return from classes later in the evening. For now, the road carried its usual traffic, but the students they wanted to speak to were still scattered across the neighbourhood.The wait was part of a new Delhi Police approach to reach out to students living in PGs and rented accommodation, particularly in coaching hubs. The move has gained urgency after the Satya Niketan building collapse, which heightened concerns about their safety.By 5pm, the students began trickling in. One was stopped. Then another. A few stayed back as more joined them. Soon, a small group had gathered around Karol Bagh SHO Karuna Sagar.The first thing the SHO did was share his phone number. Students were told they could contact him directly if they faced a problem or noticed something requiring police attention.Then came the questions. How was the PG? Was there anything around the building that worried them? Did they feel safe walking through the neighbourhood?The answers quickly showed that safety extended far beyond the four walls of their accommodation. It wasn’t just about fire extinguishers, emergency exits or the building’s condition; it was also about what hung overhead, what collected on the road after rain, and what happened on the street outside.Kiran, a UPSC aspirant who has lived in the area for two years, said the recent rains had made him wary of exposed electrical wires and waterlogging. “If these wires fall into the water, there is fear of electrocution. It’s not just about how safe the building is. The overall area should be safe for students,” he said.In 2024, a UPSC aspirant had died of electrocution in west Delhi’s Patel Nagar, highlighting the risks posed by exposed electrical infrastructure during the monsoon.Another student, Abhinav, echoed similar concerns. “The wires are right above our heads. It is pathetic,” he said.Then there were worries beyond electricity. Aejaz, another student, recalled a theft in his lane a few days earlier. Others spoke about rash driving on roads used heavily by students. Some were also worried whether the lane outside was safe, the infrastructure maintained and the journey to their coaching centre free of avoidable risks.With electrical wiring emerging as a major concern, SHO Sagar said the next meeting would involve BSES officials. Issues falling under other agencies are being taken up with the departments concerned, officials said.For the students gathered around the SHO, the exercise offered something significant: they now had a number to call before a concern became a complaint, or a complaint became an emergency.The Karol Bagh interaction was not a one-off exercise. DCP (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said teams from police stations across the city were reaching out to students, PG residents and coaching hubs to understand their concerns. Where an issue belongs to another agency, police are taking it up with the department concerned.
