Welcome to Campus 2.0: Safety or Setback?

Introduction

Starting from early May 2025, the IIT Bombay administration implemented a series of stringent security measures across campus, significantly altering how students, staff, and service providers interact with the institute’s boundaries. These were announced to students through webmail. These changes tightened regulations on auto-rickshaws by enforcing a 45-minute time limit, which would be tracked through a physical token system. These guidelines also mention checking documents, such as a driver’s license, along with fines and banning autos (a list of which has also been floated) for non-adherence to the new regulations. All vehicular traffic without IITB stickers will be funnelled exclusively through the Main Gate, with random checks and underbelly inspections becoming routine. Moreover, food and quick commerce delivery agents have been restricted to entering only between 6:00 AM and 11:00 PM (as opposed to 3:00 AM). Orders placed after this window must be collected at the campus gates, effectively reviving pre-COVID-era delivery norms. Pedestrian entry is still permitted through all gates but is now subject to frisking, ID verification, and tighter oversight. These measures have been supplemented by occasional combing operations in departments and hostels, and a strict ban on the use of drones on campus.

While safety is a valid concern, the rollout has generated widespread discontent among the student body. The core issue is that the extent to which delivery partners and auto drivers threaten campus safety has not been communicated or backed up with data. When Insight spoke to Captain Ambuj Khare (Retd.), IITB’s current Chief Security Officer (CSO), he was not able to share specific figures related to incidents involving delivery agents or autos, stating only that they were “numerous”. He added that the multiple emails his office had received and the complaints made on ‘public forums’ are what prompted action.

Token Troubles?

According to the CSO, “the rationale for restrictions includes concerns of overspeeding, reckless driving, delays in exiting, and the inability to trace individuals once they enter the campus and remove their uniforms”. He highlighted that the main road inside the institute is a two-lane stretch, which simply cannot handle the increasing traffic. On 11th March, for instance, 232 autos entered the institute between 9:30 and 10:30 AM (numbers that the CSO believes the current infrastructure cannot sustain). The 45-minute token system was introduced to cap this volume. If drivers fail to exit on time, they are fined, and repeat offenders may be banned. As a result of this policy, the number of autos has come down to around 100 per hour, reducing congestion significantly, according to CSO. 

While the regulation may seem sensible in isolation, it overlooks a larger problem – the current transport system within the campus is inadequate. As shown by a survey taken by Insight in November 2024, with over 600 student responses, nearly 50% of students reported using autos frequently. While electric vehicles (EVs) were the most preferred mode, 35.6% of respondents said they rarely used them, mainly due to irregular availability and limited route coverage. 

For example, even popular routes like Hostel 17 to the Lecture Hall Complex (LHC) see buggies that are infrequent or overcrowded. Going from Hostel 17 to the Energy Building is even harder, as almost no direct buggy service exists, and the ones that exist are too infrequent. When asked if increasing the number of EVs would solve the availability issue, the majority remained sceptical. Though the administration claims that 21 buggies in multiple slots are now operational and more infrastructure is on the way, they are still not effective replacements, lacking the flexibility in timings and destinations that autos provide. Over 86% of the respondents expressed support or openness to introducing new EV shuttle routes near hostels, indicating that such an initiative could potentially enhance campus transport services.

However, given the large number of buildings on campus, it is nearly impossible to cover every possible route at all times. When asked about how they plan to handle this once the semester resumes and student numbers rise, the CSO said the administration might increase the 45-minute limit or create a pre-approved pool of reliable auto drivers, allowing longer hours (this pool is made based on the past data present on driver behaviour inside the institute). The notion that a lesser number of autos will prevent any of the issues, like over speeding, reckless driving is misfounded. The major problems still seem to be a lack of monitoring systems for these. While the institute aims to develop a self-sufficient transport system in the long run, slow implementation and the absence of a feedback mechanism may lead to challenges, such as students struggling to find autos to and from campus.

Midnight meal monitoring

On the food delivery front, the CSO was clear: “The 11 PM cutoff will not be relaxed”. He noted that this was the practice pre-COVID, and that reverting to it seemed reasonable. When asked how this cutoff actually addresses the cited problems, he explained that during the day, there are more “eyes on the ground”, making it easier to monitor delivery agents and address infractions. However, no specific data on infractions by delivery partners was shared.

One issue raised by the CSO, which hasn’t been widely discussed, is the potential misuse of delivery bags. Since there is no practical way to verify what’s inside a sealed food package, he argued, “anything could be carried in”. As a result, the security team has begun inspecting delivery bags at the gate for the cases they deem suspicious, leading to delays in delivery times.

Alternatives that might achieve similar safety outcomes with less disruption don’t appear to have been explored at all. For instance, delivery agents could be issued time-bound tokens similar to auto drivers. This would allow guards to monitor their duration on campus without outright bans. When Insight asked whether such alternatives were considered, the CSO denied, adding that if the system worked before COVID, it should work now. What this reasoning misses is twofold: alternatives are fewer now, and the culture has shifted. Most hostel shops shut by 10 PM, and the handful of canteens that remain open till 3 AM often lack variety. Apps like Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit are now deeply integrated into student routines, providing access to essentials late at night. Undoing that access has understandably caused frustration.

Whose Order Is This?

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the new restrictions is the limited involvement of student representatives. According to Insight’s findings, this issue was first raised in a December 2024 meeting between student reps and the administration. Students expressed clear grievances about the impact of an 11 PM delivery cutoff and requested a gradual rollout, if at all. The meeting ended without a consensus. When the matter was brought up again on 28th April, in a security meeting, student representatives were told the issue was closed in the December meeting itself, and hence no further discussion was needed. Notably, the decision to restrict the time an auto is allowed in the campus was made entirely without any student consultation.

This contradicts what was later communicated by the Dean’s Office in response to several student emails. Insight accessed one such email, which claimed: 

“With regards to the concerns raised, while we are all open for receiving feedback/suggestions from the student community, please note that the measures towards campus delivery and transportation restrictions have just been implemented by the concerned section of the institute and have been made based on well-informed discussions among the stakeholders, including student representatives.”

When asked if the timing of the rollout was linked to the summer break (when student presence on campus is minimal), the CSO denied any strategic intent, stating that he acted immediately post-approval from the Dean’s Circle (a meeting between all deans, chaired by the director). He also clarified that the policies were not linked to any external political or military developments, squashing the popular belief among the student body.

This policy has marked a fundamental change within the institute, and will impact students on a huge scale. The lack of student representation in the decision process overlooked how deeply integrated these services are in students’ daily lives, making the sudden shift especially disruptive. While these changes may seem inevitable to the decision-makers, given the emphasis on “safety over convenience”, it raises the question of why alternative solutions that offered a better balance between the two were not explored. It also remains unclear why the administration reverted to older measures so quickly, despite student concerns and without a gradual roll-out to ensure a gradual integration into students’ lives. The precedence this sets is alarming, taking decisions that impact student’ lives without hearing their concern should not become the “new normal”.

Update: On May 27th, CSO stated that new campus autos (15 in number) will be operational from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. These are a set of autos that have been permitted to stay on campus longer, based on their previous track record. They are not allowed to refuse rides and will charge 10 rupees to take students anywhere across the institute. Another email by the A-Dean of Student Affairs points to the improvement of the E-buggy network within the institute and also mentioned  E-rickshaws to be introduced in the future. Though this is a step towards addressing students’ transport needs, concerns around accurate live tracking, over-occupancy of buggies, and limited flexibility in destination locations will truly be tested once the campus reopens.