The Women and Child Development Department must play a key role in ensuring that all cities in Maharashtra have a gender-responsive public transport system.
March 2021
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, URGE THE HON’BLE WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT MINISTER, GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA, to:
● Recognize the importance of mobility for women’s access to education, work, healthcare, places of leisure and thereby the link between mobility and women’s empowerment and economic independence.
● Include the goal of a safe, comfortable, reliable, accessible and gender-responsive urban transport system within the Women and Child Development (WCD) department.
● Take note of the issues raised by us based on the experiences of lakhs of ordinary women and their everyday travel.
● Develop a gender-responsive set of recommendations for strengthening urban transport systems, especially bus-based public transport across cities in Maharashtra.
● Allocate resources from the department meant to ensure the safety and attainment of development goals for women.
● Champion a State urban bus-based public transport policy that is inclusive of the above-stated goals
Background
Transportation is not merely a basic infrastructure but a means to participate in the workforce and live life fully. A fundamental need, transportation is crucial to fulfill other fundamental needs like food, clothing, shelter, education, health and so on. In India, women rely mostly on public transport for their daily commuting. As per the Census figures (2011), more number of women (72 percent) than men (61 percent) use sustainable transport modes like walking, cycling and buses in urban areas. Therefore, an inadequate and inefficient public transport system can have a disproportionately higher negative impact on women.
For an industrialized state with 50 percent of its population living in cities, Maharashtra has only 11 buses per lakh urban population. Many Municipal Corporations do not have a city bus service at all. Excluding Mumbai and Pune, the number of buses per lakh people in cities is less than 5! When the basic infrastructure and services are so stressed, how do we expect them to accommodate the needs of the different communities and kinds of users?
In Maharashtra, the female labour force participation (FLFPR) is higher than the national average at 31 percent (2017-18). However, this rate is only 16.8 percent for urban areas in the state. This is a highly concerning trend highlighting that in a state with high FLFPR, women in cities are staying out of work. Additionally, in Maharashtra, almost half the women (48 percent) are not allowed to go by themselves to the market, a health facility, and places outside their own community (National Family Health Survey, 2015-16). These limitations on mobility combined with unaffordable and unreliable urban public transit often result in women turning down better employment opportunities further away from home in favour of lower-paid local opportunities.
Women’s travel is also characterised by trip-chaining which means they combine multiple destinations in one trip because of a double burden of economic activities and care-related activities. Mimicking a national trend, public transport agencies in the cities of Maharashtra typically set up fares such that multiple short trips cost more than a single long trip. Resultantly, women end up paying more than men because of the difference in travel patterns which are not accounted for in transport planning.
Recommendation
As part of the bus-based public transport campaign Lakh Ko 50, to achieve gender justice in urban mobility, we recommend
WOMEN’S SAFETY
Multiple studies conducted in different cities of India including Mumbai show disturbing trends of high levels of sexual harassment faced by women while waiting for or using public transport. The lack of safety and the fear it engenders limits women’s movement. Freedom of movement is a fundamental right, therefore, women’s transit safety measures should be planned by them or should take into account women’s experiences and needs. More number of women using public transport will also lead to an increased presence of women in public places.
Therefore,
1. Every bus stop should have an adequate shed, lighting, sitting arrangement, toilet facility, sanitary pads and other necessary facilities or services including a space for vendors.
2. All the bus staff must be provided gender sensitisation training. The on-bus staff, especially, needs to be sensitive to attend to the needs of children, elderly, non-local and transgender passengers.
HIGH QUALITY SERVICE PROVISION
The safety of women on public transport cannot be ensured by merely increasing the monitoring and supervision of their travel. Safety is of utmost importance, however, there are other crucial determinants of women’s mobility such as reliability, frequency, comfort, access, strength, coverage of the bus service and basic infrastructure of public transport.
Therefore,
1. The fleet of buses should be expanded and there should be at least 50 buses per one lakh urban population.
2. The waiting time at the bus stop must be reduced and the frequency of buses should be increased.
3. The schedule of buses should be prepared and this information should be made easily available.
4. The rate of bus breakdown must be reduced and all old buses should be removed from the fleet.
5. The peripheral areas in the city should also have assured bus coverage.
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION
Women should be seen as key stakeholders of the bus-based public transport system. Their involvement in important decisions like service provision, transport plans and amendments should be institutionalised. The political economy of bus-based public transport must emphasize that the bus users should not be seen as consumers but as citizens.
Therefore,
1. The engagement of women passengers in the planning and operation of the bus service must be ensured; an official channel to communicate with them and consult them must be initiated.
2. The effectiveness of Tejaswini buses in Maharashtra should be assessed on the parameters of the basis of launching them and their intent as well as to explain why they are withdrawn in a short span.
3. A ‘gender audit’ must be conducted at regular intervals to assess the suitability of the bus service vis-a-vis the travel needs of girls and women commuters.
We are issuing this joint statement representing the voices of lakhs of women and girl commuters across Maharashtra who are dependent on public buses for their everyday commute and livelihoods.
With hope and regards,
The public statement was endorsed by the following list of signatories:
Organisations
Bhaskar Foundation, Mumbai
Samyak, Pune
Bahujan Hitay Society, Amravati
Warrior Mom, Nagpur
Sarthi Youth Foundation, Solapur
Saad Bhawna Sangh, Maharashtra Nasha bandi Mandal
Chhatra Bharati Vidyarthi Sanghatna
Gokul Ashram, Amravati
Shubham Bahuudeshiya Vikas Sanstha, Nagpur
Sambhav Foundation, Solapur
Siddharth Samajik Sanghatna, Mumbai
Omkar SHG Kasarwadi, Pune
Sahayog Foundation, Amravati
Yugandhar Foundation, Solapur
Giants Group of Santacruz Swavlamban Saheli, Mumbai
Student’s helping hands, Pune
Samarpan Foundation, Amravati
Parivartan Samuh Bahuuddeshiy Sanstha, Solapur
Suvarna Jyot Mumbai District Social Development Association
(22,000 BPL Women SHG groups federation), Mumbai
Hariom Women SHG Kasarwadi, Pune
Sankalpavedha Multipurpose Society Amravati
Samta Samaj Kaamgaar Sangh, Mumbai
Satyashodhak Vidhyarthi Sabha, Pune
Disha Foundation, Amravati
Sankalp Mahila Snaman Seva, Mumbai
Sakhee, Pune
Unnati Mahila Multipurpose Society, Amravati
Muktai Samaj Vikas Sanstha Malad, Mumbai
MASUM, Pune
Osho multipurpose Society, Amravati
Swavalamba Samaj Vikas Sanstha, Mumbai
Shramik Mukti Dal Lokshahi, Pune
Zep Multipurpose society, Amravati
Safal Vikas Welfare Sanstha, Mumbai
Jan Adhinaayak Raashtreey Samanvay (NAPM), Pune
Human’s Foundation, Amravati
Mahila Rajsatta Andolan, Amravati
Kagad Kach Kashtakari Panchayat, Pune
Swamini andolan, Amravati
Nashabandhi Mandal Maharashtra State, Mumbai
Saheli HIV/ AIDS Karyakarta Sangh, Pune
Neharu Yuva krida vyayam mandal, Amravati
Vishwa Shanti Samajik Sanstha, Mumbai
Bhartiya Mahila Federation, Pune
Sambhaji brigade, Amravati
Akhil Bharatiya Janvadi Mahila Sangathan, Pune
Karbharani Mahila Manch, Amravati
Hum Bharat Ke Log, Mumbai
Pune District Dharkamgaar Sangathan
Believe Foundation, Amravati
Light of Hope Foundation, Mumbai
Bhtake Vimukt Mahila Adhikaari Andolan, Pune
Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti
Helping Hand for Blood, Mumbai
Vanchit Bahujan Mahila Aghadi
Jijau Brigade
Rashtra Seva Dal (Malvani)
Samajwadi Mahila Sabha, Pune
Sadbhavana Sangh, Amravati
Men Deed For Bleed, Mumbai
Amhi Amchya Aarogyasathi, Pune
Astitva Foundation, Amravati
Nayak, Mumbai
Naari Samta Manch, Pune
Trans-thought Team, Mumbai
Abha Parivartanvadi Sanstha, Mumbai
Indian Public Right Committee
Nagar Raj Bill Samarthan Manch
Avishkar Prathishthan, Mumbai
Sankalp Path Santha, Mumbai
Akshara Centre India, Mumbai
Prominent Individuals
Archana More
Shailja Aarnkar
Sangeeta Gandhe
Sanyogita Dhamdhere
Ujwala Masdekar
Sadhana Khati
Sandhya Padke
Kranti Agnihotri
Vidya Kulkarni
Prasanna Ivalli
Aruna Burte
Nirmala Bhakre
Vrahsa Vidya Vilas
Shamibha Patil
Pallavi Renke
Gunjan Gode
Shrutika Gawande
Dr. Smita Deshmukh
Bachat Gaths
Shraddha Women SHG, Mumbai
Manini Women SHG – Baner
Om Women SHG, Nagpur
Asha Deep Women SHG, Mumbai
Durga Mata Women SHG – Baner
Jago Nari Women SHG, Nagpur
Siddhi Women SHG, Mumbai
Shitaladevi Bachat Women, SHG Kasarwadi
Aaradhya Women SHG, Nagpur
Dhamma Jyoti Women SHG, Mumbai.
Krantijyoti Women SHG, Nagpur
Om Sai Women SHG, Mumbai
Ashram Women SHG, Nagpur
Omkar Women SHG, Mumbai
Karunashil Women SHG, Nagpur
Elgaar Yuva SHG, Mumbai
Samarth Women SHG, Nagpur
Samarth Women SHG, Mumbai
Mahalaxmi Women SHG, Nagpur
Stree Kalyan Women SHG, Mumbai
Jijai women SHG, Nagpur
Prajakta Women SHG, Mumbai
Ojaswi Women SHG, Nagpur
Vanand Women SHG, Mumbai
Akshay SHG, Nagpur
Sai Samartha Women SHG, Mumbai
Jansewa SHG, Nagpur
Shweta women SHG, Nagpur
Jagat SHG, Nagpur