Students Divided after CLM proposes to change shuttle boarding point from Jahangirpuri for safety reasons

Jahangirpuri Metro Station | Photo courtesy: Flickr

Citing safety concerns, the Campus Life Ministry (CLM), in collaboration with the Transport Team, proposed shifting the university’s designated metro station from Jahangirpuri to Rohini Sector 18-19 last month. 

Several students have reported harassment cases and phone thefts in Jahangirpuri. These incidents occurred during the walk from the metro station to the shuttle boarding/drop-off point, roughly 214 meters, according to The Edict’s estimations.

A police officer from Mahendra Park Police Station, which is near Jahangirpuri Metro, explained that since Jahangirpuri is the last metro stop near the Haryana border in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) Yellow Line towards Samaypur Badli, it sees thousands of commuters each day, many of whom get off to board buses.

This high footfall, the officer said, makes the area a prime target for pickpockets and snatchers. “Nearly 10 snatching cases are reported daily,” he noted, “with many more going unreported.” Unlike residential areas, offenders here can easily disappear into the crowd, making it difficult to identify them.

The proposal, however, gathered mixed reactions from the student body, with some arguing that the method of deciding on a new station in an unsafe city like Delhi is flawed. 

Safety concerns 

The Edict spoke to some students who lost their phones and experienced harassment at the Jahangirpuri metro station. 

Abhishek Mishra (ASP '25) recounted his phone being snatched near Jahangirpuri while walking to the shuttle around 8 p.m. "I was typing on my phone when two people on a scooter sped past, grabbed it, and disappeared before I could react. The police arrived within 10 minutes but took no real action. Instead, they told me I was lucky I wasn’t stabbed—such incidents happen almost weekly."

Carishah Mukhara* (UG’28) added that she has also been catcalled at Jahangirpuri. “My friends and I have been stared at for an uncomfortably long time by passersby. Cab drivers have followed us from the station to the shuttle. It feels scary and unsafe. I don’t look forward to going to Jahangirpuri, it’s always crowded and I have to be extra cautious there.”

However, Jahangirpuri does not seem to be the only metro station of concern for students. At Rohini, the proposed metro station, a student echoed similar discomfort.

Mallika Luthra (ASP’25) shared on the batch email thread that during a single visit to Rohini, she experienced catcalling and questioned whether it was truly a safer or more ideal choice. "The traffic and crowds there are no less unruly than at Jahangirpuri," she noted.

In an interview with The Edict, Luthra described feeling unsafe at Rohini Sector 18-19 metro station after an unsettling encounter with a group of men. She emphasised that while switching stations from Jahangirpuri to Rohini might seem like a logical solution, it does not address the underlying safety concerns. In fact, quieter and more isolated stations like Rohini can sometimes feel more vulnerable. 

Luthra also pointed out that the crowd difference between Rohini and Jahangirpuri is minimal — it’s only a few stops away. A busier station, in her view, might actually act as a deterrent to misbehaviour, as more people are around to witness and prevent harmful actions.

CLM’s methodology 

In an interview with The Edict, Campus Life Minister Urja Hansraj (ASP’25) described the methodology behind the survey, highlighting that it was an impromptu decision to gather insights directly from daily commuters.

"It wasn't a planned survey in the sense that we didn’t go in with pre-set questions," Hansraj explained. "We realised that we can't possibly understand the safety of a place without talking to the people who use it every day."

The survey involved speaking to regular commuters, particularly those who travelled frequently. "The first question we asked was how often they used the service," Hansraj said. "We wanted responses from people who use it very regularly—not just occasional commuters." The next question focused on the timing of their travel. "We asked when they typically used the metro — early morning, late evening, or during the day."

When it came to safety, the commuters were asked about their experiences both inside the station and outside. “Inside the station, everyone we spoke to felt completely safe,” Hansraj noted. “The station was well-lit, and nobody reported any safety concerns inside." However, she mentioned that some commuters raised a concern about the presence of "drunk auto drivers" near the station, though it was not a widespread issue.

The survey also gathered responses on commuters' transport habits and experiences at other metro stations like Jahangirpuri and Azadpur. "We asked if they'd used these stations before," Hansraj said. "Most of them had, and they consistently mentioned that Rohini felt much safer."

Hansraj clarified that the survey’s conclusions were based on the perspectives of the people they spoke to and that the findings were not universally applicable. "I wouldn’t extrapolate this to say that nothing unsafe has ever happened," she acknowledged, "but this was the feedback we received from regular commuters."

However, the proposal has sparked both support and concerns among students, especially regarding the method of decision-making and the assumptions that underpin it.

Student Reactions

Manan Shivhare (ASP ’25), in an interview with The Edict, remarked, “The reasons are very genuine, and something has to be done. But my problem is that we are not doing the right thing.” 

In his batch (ASP’25) email  thread responding to the change, he questioned the data collection process: “The CLM interviewed 25 people, but cases of harassment and crime are often underreported to the police, let alone to strangers conducting a survey.”

In his email to his batch thread, Shivhare also raised the issue of perception, noting that Google images alone made it clear that Rohini was a far more gentrified station compared to Jahangirpuri, which he described as a Muslim ghetto and bustling market area, frequented and operated by people from particular social and economic backgrounds. While he acknowledged that students have indeed faced serious safety issues at Jahangirpuri, he questioned whether simply changing the metro station would meaningfully address those underlying concerns.

Mishra also questioned whether Rohini had been properly vetted as a safer alternative: "Has anyone fact-checked beyond just interviewing 25 people? You can’t assume Rohini is safer without proper data,” he said.

Hansraj elaborated on the process of selecting a new station. A key priority for the team was to find a metro station where the shuttle could be stationed right outside. Unlike Jahangirpuri, the shuttle drops students less than 10 meters from a lift at Rohini. “This makes the commute more accessible for all students,” said Hansraj.

The police officer from Mahendra Park recommended practical changes to improve safety at Jahangirpuri: opening both metro gates to reduce crowding and decreasing the distance between the station exit and the shuttle pickup point, where most crimes occur. This was a key reason the CLM and Transport Ministry began considering alternatives.

He also noted that many offenders are juveniles. “A lot are 17 or 18 years old, looking for quick money. Many are involved in drugs and gang activity instead of school. An NGO intervention could help.” Pointing to a lack of social accountability, “People are just passing through; they don’t feel responsible for the area,” he said.

Regarding the next step, Hansraj said that CLM is in conversation with Himanshu Sachdev, Vice President of Operations, to get approval for a pilot move to Rohini. However, this process is delayed because the issue has now been presented to the Standing Committee before any further action can be taken. 

The Standing Committee has urged the Transport team to consider Azadpur. “... we had ruled it out earlier because the transport team flagged two major issues: there’s no parking due to the market, and the local taxi and auto unions can be a hassle,” said Hansraj. 

Even if Rohini gets approved, it will be considered a pilot project. “The bureaucracy of the admin is causing a lot of delays,” said Hansraj.

*Pseudonyms have been provided for an individual to preserve their anonymity.

(Edited by Srijana Siri)