Page 64 - TrafficInfraTech Dec-Jan 2019

MOBILITY
If service gaps in public
buses are not taken care of,
if they get widened more,
we will see that women
might shift towards private
modes which is shifting
them towards a more
unsustainable situation.
Dr Ashish Verma
64 December ’18 - January ’19 / TrafficInfraTech
an overall system of markets, other of enough functioning and clean toilets
institutions, which are walkable, so the on platforms, toilets that do not have
thickness of the public transport network doors, or have windows at weird heights
is extremely high. As one moves to and lack of proper foot over bridges, well
suburbs of Mumbai or to Thane district, maintained stairs & escalators
these inter-connections become loose We need to focus our attention to
and safety emerges as an issue. some invisible groups like Nurses, BPO
We found in our study that even now workers, fisherwoman etc who work
the actual number of women who accept long and at odd hours. Their number
that they have experienced harassment are increasing and we need to separate
themselves or experienced any them from the stereotyped pattern of
threatening incident themselves is less community and look at their future
than 30 percent. But both actual threats needs. Physically challenged women
as well as perceptions of ‘risk’ can lead and pregnant women find it difficult
to non-access. What is very important is to navigate crowded platforms with
to create safety. different kinds of structures which
There are many features that contribute
making commuting experience safe or obstruct their movement from the stairs
to the coaches.
unsafe for women. One of the prime ones The next is the Governance issues.
is the presence or absence of security Governance issues cover cleanliness &
personnel. The lighting in the station and
hygiene of toilets, information systems
surrounding area is critical. The presence at platforms and improved services.
of itinerants inside the station but also What is very critical is how do we
outside is another factor contributing to
the feeling of safety. We saw that there respond to complaints. We found that
there are all these CCTVs and security
were several platforms in Mumbai which personnel etc but the overall way in
were left totally to itinerants and there is which a woman’s complaint is treated is
no control there at all. The locations of
very critical.
seating areas for women, waiting area
in stations which have stairs, and ladies Dr Ashish Verma: Researches show
compartment vis-à-vis the station are very that 92% of women feel unsafe in
important. India’s major cities. It is challenging to
take the“Avoid, Shift and Improve”
Overcrowding creates unsafe approach by women. There is still lack
experiences but so does absence of of knowledge about the perception of
people around. The connecting transport safety and issues faced by women while
facilities, and the presence & absence travelling in public buses.
of security personnel are the other
contributing parameters. When we think A study was conducted by IISc in
about the overall design of compartments Bangalore to assess safety of women
itself, and it is something which is so commuters in public transport through
standardised and so male-centric that a questionnaire survey. A well-structured
it is not made for the heights of Indian questionnaire, comprising of various
women. We need to move towards questions related not just to their social
gender sensitive design. The not so helpful demographics, but also their preferences
design elements include gap between and satisfaction levels with types of
footboard & platforms, uneven platforms, buses, staff behavior, condition of
location of the hand pole at the door, bus stops, perception of safety while
hand straps that could not be reached travelling, complaint redressal, image of
without stretching, lack of proper signage existing bus services, etc. was used for a
and lack of visibility of helpline numbers, detailed understanding.
uncomfortable & inadequate station Out of the survey respondents, 76%
furniture such as waiting benches, lack women said they felt unsafe at bus
www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com