Examining GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad Campus for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Measures: A Foundation Towards a Safe CPTED Exterior Campus Model

In the present scenario, Campus violence in India is a significant public health issue that needs to be adopted. It affects the user groups physically and psychologically. On 6th February 2020, during the annual cultural fest of Gargi College in New Delhi, a group of men entered the campus and created violence (molestation) on a massive scale. Probable reasons investigated were lack of security, political issues, signal jammers placed on campus, etc. The paper attempts to highlight various frequently emerging problems occurring on various campuses and, as an architect, what has to be adopted while planning for spaces on campuses to prevent crime or violence through environmental designing in the future is explained. These are achieved by choosing the GITAM Hyderabad campus for examining and primarily conducting surveys based on users' perceptions during day and night times, along with the author’s analysis of different spaces in the campus, thereby obtaining secondary data from published papers and finally, formulating findings from the best practices to prevent crime for future safe exterior campus model. The scope for future research would be a detailed study of interior campus CPTEDmeasures. The result of this paper has important implications for any college


Introduction
GITAM (Deemed to University), is a private educational institute in Hyderabad, designed over 230 acres, located 1.8 kilometers from Mumbai highway, with around five thousand students and more than five hundred staff members.
Students' safety and security problems have always been a challenge in the university environment. The reason for selecting GITAM to examine the base model is that significant issues have not yet arisen. The paper aims to propose preventive measures that can be adopted to avoid facing issues similar to those that occurred at Gargi College in the near future. Eventually, campuses have higher traffic than residential or commercial buildings. For a place to feel safer, broad interdisciplinary and interprofessional planning is required. Crime prevention through environmental design is a strategy that adopts appropriate landscape designing, fencing, lighting, building positioning, and planning to reduce criminal activity without active measures (Shariati & Guerette, 2019). CPTED is a cost-effective method that comprises four main principles: Natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement, and space management or maintenance.
Elements of CPTED Principles are depicted ( Figure 1).

Figure 1. Elements of CPTED Principles
The most essential aspects that commonly cause problems on a macro level on campuses are: Qeios, Figure 9).  conflicts. Passive surveillance is to be made possible. Car parks minimize dark areas through proper lighting. Large car parks to adopt telephones, emergency alarms, or intercoms. Appropriate signage at parking is to be adopted. All surfaces at the parking level are to be in light colors to reflect as much light as possible. All entrapment points to be avoided such    Figures 14, 15). Hidden alcoves or entrances serve as concealed areas for criminal activity. To improve visibility, chamfered corners are to be adopted ( Figure 17). The courtyard can be used for play activities or as a seating zone ( Figure 18).  Place K-rated planters and bollards for safety purposes and aesthetics.

Methods
Step 1 -Two types of survey questionnaires are created for study using parameters from CPTED qualitatively and quantitatively online and offline for different user groups. The measures for assessing each parameter are listed. The data was entered through a 5-point Likert scale, with 1-strongly disagreeing (0%), 2-disagree (25%), 3-neither agree nor disagree (50%), 4-agree (75%), and 5-strongly agree (100%). Lux levels at critical areas have been calculated during nighttime using the lux meter app. The average value is considered to analyze spaces toward safety for obtaining optimum CPTED solutions. Students were asked to mark any four unsafe locations.
Step 2 -Photos of exterior spaces have been shot during day and night times to support the research base.
Step 3-Analyzing the loopholes in terms of safety and security Step 4-Recommendations for exterior safe campus model.

Results
Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, August 22, 2023   survey ratings has been observed due to the cultural or fear factor in the understanding of the response to a feeling of safety, Lack of streetlights provided and neighborhood spaces being industries (Figures 21-35).
To obtain an exterior safe campus model following are the changes that need to be adopted: Signages with legible text size and lighting to be provided As filmed glass has been utilized on the facade, natural surveillance is easier. However, each façade has a restricted angle of surveillance.
Offices need to be placed on the perimeter of the building facing street-level activities and parking zones RFID cards are to be used for restricted access after working hours.
Emergency SOS call boxes are to be installed at prominent places.
Fencing to be higher and made of wrought iron where surveillance is easier, and vandal-proof.
Thick foliage shrubs to be trimmed, so that offenders' actions can be monitored.
Appropriate lighting level to be maintained at the parking level.
Niches at the parking level to be well-lit and unused spaces in the basement need to be well-lit and locked if not used.
Blind corners at the parking level need to be avoided.
Playgrounds to be visible from maximum windows of the building.
Stairwell zones can be designed with maximum transparency.
Blind corners should be provided with convex mirrors.
All entrances are prone to criminal activity and have less visibility, therefore, the corners need to be chamfered for visibility.
The reception area needs to be relocated to aid visual supervision of entries, stairs and hallways.
Entrapment spots below staircases need to be closed or well-lit.
Streetlights need to be increased to at least 2, including building floodlights Surveillance at semi-private and public parking off campus needs natural surveillance and access control through fencing.
Above mentioned are CPTED recommendations for GITAM Campus, post-survey analysis. The above-mentioned optimum strategies are for a safe exterior campus model. The scope for future research is a detailed interior study of campuses for a safe interior model.