Chennai: 6 bus shelters with panic button to come up in CM Vijay’s Perambur constituency

CHENNAI: Women waiting at six bus shelters in Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Perambur constituency will soon have access, for the first time, to an emergency panic button, enabling them to alert authorities if they feel unsafe.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is developing six new stainless-steel shelters on Erukkenchery High Road in Sharma Nagar, SIDCO Nagar Main Road in KKD Nagar, Ashok Pillar at Vyasarpadi Bridge Junction, Sathiya Moorthi Nagar Main Road and its junction, opposite MKB Nagar Bus Stand, and at Central Avenue Junction in MKB Nagar under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Mission (CMIUTM) at a cost of Rs 20 crore. The shelters will be equipped with CCTV cameras, improved lighting, Wi-Fi connectivity and mobile charging points.

According to a Corporation official, the panic button will be installed as a women’s safety measure. “If a woman feels uncomfortable because of a bystander or while waiting at the bus stop, she can press the button. Once pressed, the camera will continuously record and store footage for the next 15 minutes,” the Corporation official said.

The CCTV cameras will be connected to the Greater Chennai Police headquarters and the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) of the Chennai Corporation. The facilities are intended to improve surveillance and safety at the bus stops.

The CMIUTM works in the Chief Minister’s home constituency mark the first time that the scheme is being implemented in Chennai. TK Shanmugam of the Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Associations (FNCRWA) welcomed the initiative but said its effectiveness would depend on sustained implementation.

“More projects should be launched in north Chennai for the benefit of local residents, rather than focusing primarily on the central parts of the city,” he said.