Neglect and lackadaisical attitude keep Taramani CIT campus in the dark, literally

CHENNAI: Even days after the triple murder on the CIT campus, security measures remained unchanged, with conditions on the ground reflecting continued neglect rather than heightened vigilance.Across the 54-acre campus, broken compound walls, poor CCTV coverage, dark stretches without street lights, and at least four abandoned buildings allow outsiders to enter and move around with ease.“The overgrown shrubs on internal roads give cover to miscreants who drink at night and indulge in eve-teasing. In the past, there have been cases of molestation, and poor lighting helps them escape when we seek help,” said Hiran*, a students at the campus.When TOI visited the premises, several liquor bottles were found near the boys’ hostel dispensary. Except at the polytechnic college for women and the State Institute for Commerce Education, security guards were absent at the printing, textile and leather institutes during night hours.Even during working hours at the Institute of Chemical Technology, where the crime occurred, entry checks were lax. While the institute’s principal S Janaki said guards were instructed to verify entries and monitor movement, multiple buildings on the campus could be accessed without any checks or interruptions.

The Directorate of Technical Education (DoTE), which maintains the campus under the higher education department, said 22 CCTV cameras were installed, but a check revealed that nearly half were disconnected, broken or not functioning. “We rely on night patrolling. A jeep is stationed on OMR, and one or two policemen patrol internal roads from 10pm to 4am, with help from college security,” a police officer from Adyar said.Vishal*, another student at the premises, said, “Outsiders enter freely. Construction workers loiter near hostels, drink alcohol, and no one questions them.” Security guards on the campus admitted that workers illegally enter the premises at night despite regular rounds. “We inform their PWD contractor, but they say they have no control over the workers after work hours,” a guard said.While higher education secretary P Shankar’s assurance to clear bushes and regulate access to improve safety remained unfulfilled, DoTE commissioner S Visakan said he would push authorities to install at least 15 more CCTVs and street lights along both the sides of the internal roads to improve safety following the murder.He said safety issues would be addressed after completion of the integrated building project at 94 crore. “The new buildings will have compound walls, enabling better regulation of entry and exit. I have instructed authorities to monitor dark spots,” he said.Adyar assistant commissioner (law and order) Murugesan said criminal activities were being curbed through frequent patrolling. “Police teams reach within three minutes if help is needed, and patrol strength can be increased if concerns are raised,” he said.