Page 17 - TrafficInfraTech Magazine - July Digital Edition

NEWS FEATURE

Mohalla bus services:

What would a gendered

and user-centered

perspective entail?

he Transport Department streets. Traffic calming will Low-floor buses and
of the Government of the be critical on collector and reserved seats: Delhi is the
TNational Capital Territory local roads to ensure road only city in India with its entire
of Delhi (GNCTD) is planning safety, along with real-time fleet having low-floor buses
to introduce a Mohalla bus monitoring of services and (with access ramps). This is
scheme with 2180 small a sustained campaign to an opportunity to continue
and medium buses by 2025. encourage users to report it in the Mohalla buses for
An online consultation was non-stoppage of buses and continued ease of access.
conducted in mid-April with rash driving. Rash driving has Traveling in mini or small buses
experts who advised on also been a persistent issue can be tenuous for women.
colour coding the buses, short with mini-buses on wet lease The number of standees
routes with high frequency, in Mumbai. will need to be managed
connecting major transport to prevent physical sexual
hubs such as metro stations. This can also be addressed harassment. Simultaneously, it
Simple fixed fares, low fares with inducting trained, is essential that a share of seats
and fare integration were sensitized women drivers is reserved and enforced for
inputs to ensure affordability. from the neighbourhoods women and senior residents,
Simultaneously, there is a served by the Mohalla buses. preferably close to the doors.
need to ensure safety – road Women drivers in two shifts
safety and women’s safety to could create around 5500 Participation: The Transport
benefit a wide range of users, jobs as well as create a Department must discuss the
especially women, girls and safer environment for all service plan with residents with
their dependents. passengers. Research has a focus on different groups of
indicated that women and women and girls, in addition
Destinations: The buses to conducting gender, age
should serve destinations girls feel safer with female and income disaggregated
where different age and drivers and conductors. travel surveys. This is an
income groups of women Neighbourhood streets in opportunity to understand
(who are currently responsible Delhi are often not well-lit. and obtain feedback from
for household and care work), Further, the existing design residents, who will be the
and their dependents travel of the bus stops will need primary beneficiaries of the
to. These include markets, to be modified. Simple, well- Mohalla bus scheme.
primary, secondary schools, lit, sheltered waiting areas
community centres, Mohalla with scheduled services Mohalla buses can connect
clinics, transport nodes could be a starting point for underserviced areas of Delhi.
with a consideration for neighbourhood bus stops. If these services are safe
weekly markets. The One Delhi application and secure for care givers,
different groups of women
Road safety: There are needs to be functional, and girls, they could attract a
numerous instances of buses provide accurate and reliable wide range of user groups.
not stopping at destinations information on bus arrivals. A
and rash driving on roads. This free SMS-based information Sonal Shah, Founder of the Urban
can pose a major road safety on bus arrivals should Catalysts and Executive Director
for the Centre for Sustainable
hazard on neighbourhood be introduced. and Equitable Cities

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