Even after the shocking rape incident early Tuesday morning inside an MSRTC bus at the crowded Swargate bus depot, groups of men continue to loiter around abandoned buses. Despite increased police presence, the issue remains unresolved. The abandoned buses, parked for years, have turned into dumping grounds for alcohol bottles, garbage, and even used condoms, raising serious security concerns.The incident has shattered the perception that Swargate — one of Pune’s busiest bus depots— is safe for women. While officials claim that around 25 CCTV cameras have been installed at the bus stop, none seem to cover the hidden spots of the depot where these poorly maintained, unused buses are parked.When The Indian Express visited the depot, several alcohol bottles, trash and condoms were found inside the abandoned buses. Local hawkers and shopkeepers said it was difficult to distinguish between genuine travellers and miscreants who sneak into these buses to drink.“Here? At Swargate? Never in my life did I think I would be scared to stand here. If something like this can happen in broad daylight, what safety do we have,” asked Anusha Ravishankar, a commuter who was unaware of the incident until she was informed.“This place is clearly not safe anymore. After learning about what happened, I’ve changed my views completely. A public transport hub like this, which is always crowded, should never witness such a crime — especially in the early morning when one wouldn’t even imagine being unsafe. It’s really scary,” said Ravishankar, a curator from Manipal.The question haunting everyone is: How did this happen in the morning, when most commuters are awake and travelling?Ishwari and Namrata, who were waiting for the bus towards Kharad village, said they came across the news on social media while arriving at the bus stop. The report left them shaken. “You can’t trust anyone,” said Namrata, recalling how she had seen a group of young men loitering around the waiting hall and then near the parked buses just minutes earlier.Story continues below this ad“There is barely any security here on normal days. Today is an exception. I can’t process this in my mind because I also travel early in the morning. This raises so many questions; it has completely shocked me,” she added, expressing concerns about the depot’s hidden spots.Many women passengers also complained about the lack of MSRTC staff, especially women staff, during late nights and early mornings. Although the depot manager at Swargate is a woman, some passengers have raised concerns about mistreatment by MSRTC’s women staff. “I had already booked my ticket online, but the women staff insisted I show a printout. When I told her I didn’t have one, she expected me to roam around and find a place to print it. When I refused, she rudely told me, ‘Then no bus is here for you,’” said Namrata, recalling her experience.Security lapses at SwargateSwargate has long been a hotspot for robberies, a fact acknowledged by Swargate police. Passengers frequently report thefts, including bag snatching and chain snatching.Last year, Swargate police sent a letter to MSRTC requesting additional CCTV cameras at critical locations within the depot, stressing the need for high-visibility surveillance. However, during a follow-up inspection, they discovered that only four or five out of the 24 installed cameras were actually operational.Story continues below this adAccording to MSRTC Pune Divisional Officer Pramod Nehul, security measures are in place to prevent such incidents. “Around 24 cameras have been installed across different parts of the bus depot, covering almost all areas. Additionally, 23 security personnel are deployed in different shifts. We are even using video footage to help identify the criminal,” he said.When asked about the presence of alcohol bottles, trash, and condoms inside unused buses, Nehul claimed that these were hired buses, not MSRTC-owned ST buses.23 security staff suspended; unused buses to be movedFollowing the incident, Nehul confirmed that all 23 security personnel stationed at the depot had been suspended and replaced. “Each shift from morning to night had five personnel, and despite their presence, this incident occurred. That’s why they have been suspended,” he said.Additionally, he stated that the unused buses, which have been parked at the depot since 2018, will now be removed to prevent such incidents in the future. “To avoid any such incidents in the future, we have decided to remove these buses from the premises,” Nehul added.