Pune IT, BPO staffers now have safety cover

Post the kidnap-gang-rape-murder of Wipro staffer Jyotikumari Chaudhari (22) in the city on November 2007, the police, regional transport office and National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) have prepared safety guidelines for IT and BPO staffers.

Pune city has an IT-BPO community of more than one lakh people and some 11,000 cars and jeeps are used as pick-up and drop vehicles for them. Immediately after the incident, the police held a series of meetings with IT companies and BPOs and issued advisories.

However, a major thrust came a year later when a study group of the law and research wing of CID comprising police officials and representatives of IT industry carried out a security audit and submitted a report making several recommendations.

The study group comprised the then superintendent of police Dilip Bhujbal, Persistent Systems security consultant Prakash Limaye, Cognizant’s business service director GM Rao, KPIT Cummins chief information security officer Mandar Marulkar, Wipro’s senior manager Rahul Gaikwad, RB Academy director Rajendra Bhide, Persistent Systems admin and security manager Robin Hyam, IT and ITES Association director Sudam Choure, then deputy superintendent of police Sambhaji Patil, then inspectors Arun Magar and BB Khaira.

Months after the security audit report was submitted to the concerned authorities, the RTO issued orders in July 2010 making it compulsory for cab drivers to wear uniform of pink shirt and black trousers and also carry identity cards.

Besides, the IT companies too insisted that the cabs used to ferry BPO staffers have vehicle tracker systems installed in them. They also began insisting that the vendors take responsibility for conduct of the drivers by taking them on their payrolls instead of hiring them on daily wage or pay-per-shift basis.

Several companies also began ensuring that women staffers are accompanied by security guards when they travel in cabs.

Prominent players like Wipro, Zensar, WNS, KPIT Cummins, Mphasis and Ocean Connect have agreed to implement the code of conduct framed by the best practices committee.

The code states that the authorities should conduct regular audits of existing transport system to examine punctuality, speed, and unacceptable behaviour, must maintain a single dedicated employee helpline number, should conduct regular briefings for drivers on code of conduct while on duty, should ensure that female employees board the cab after a male employee, ensure that a security guard accompanies a female employee commuting alone.