The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : How safe is it to travel to work late at night?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

How safe is it to travel to work late at night?

Staff Reporter

`It is unsafe to travel alone late in the night. The transport arranged by the company is safer as we are accompanied by security.'

BANGALORE: Call centres are the order of the day. Easy money, perks and parties become indispensable of a call centre employee's life.

But with this package comes the danger of commuting to and from the office late at night. Cases of call centre employees being robbed are on the rise.

Although some of the employees use the transport arranged by their companies, others prefer their personal vehicles, but both face the risk of being robbed while travelling late in the night. Here is a reality check on what the employees feel about the safety issue:

One of them, Vani, says: "It is not safe to travel alone late in the night.On the other hand, the transport arranged by the company is a safer option as we are accompanied by security. Moreover, there will be others along with us, so we feel more protected."

But Vidya, another call centre employee, does not agree. "The transport arranged by the company is not always safe. There have been instances when a few colleagues of mine were assaulted and threatened with weapons. Also, one may not get the right help at night."

Faseed, an employee of Dell, is however happy with the company transport. "Companies take precautions to ensure safety of their employees. The rules are rigid and fines are imposed if the taxi drivers arrive late. A cab leaves our office every half hour from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., and employees are dropped at their doorstep."

Deepti, a call centre trainee, travels to her workplace by her car. She does not find travelling alone late at night dangerous. En route to her office, traffic police are either stationed at many junctions or are patrolling the areas.

But she does take basic precautions like keeping her windows rolled up and travelling only by the main roads.

Safety is an important issue for Mohan, who works in a BPO catering to clients in the United States. "It is an issue for those who travel at odd times. I commute to the office using my car and the increasing number of crimes does make me feel anxious," he says.

There are some people such as Jayatheertha, who take certain measures to keep risk at bay. He explains, "If I am travelling at night, I do not offer anyone a lift. It is a better option to avoid carrying too much cashand credit cards. One should also not flaunt expensive belongings such as mobiles and jewellery."

It is also important to verify the identity of the cab drivers, if they are used for travel. Striking a conversation with strangers can also invite trouble, as can getting into autorickshaws that already have people inside.

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