JOIN USI got stranded for almost an hour on MG Road once because I could not get an autorickshaw or taxi for some reason to Vijaynagar. I was then forced to call my parents to pick me up,” says Gitanjali, 20, a journalism student from Mount Carmel College.
Gitanjali may be lucky to have her parents to rescue her. But this is not an option for many women, especially those who have moved to the City for jobs and live alone. Or for those put in a situation where they have to travel alone at night. They simply do not have many safe transportation options after 10 pm. Voices from across the City amplifies this point.
Says Tanu Shree, a 24-year-old, employed at a private firm, “I have to work late hours. If a woman does not work late nights her professional life is at stake because she will be measured against men who are putting in late hours. It’s a juggle between professional life and personal safety.”
“I often have to travel back home alone after 10 pm in a private cab because I do not have any other options. I know this is a risk and I am so tensed till I get home. I have been lucky so far but anything can happen,” she adds.
As the City’s public transportation system thins out mostly after 10 pm, women are forced to choose private operators. Cabs, autos and other private vehicle operators take advantage of this loophole.
Rhea Mukherjee, 31, author and co-founder of Write Leela Write, says that a safe, reliable and efficient transportation system is necessary but there is a gigantic gap when it comes to this. “There should be emergency lines for women to get direct help if they are stranded, refused transport services or find themselves in an unsafe situation.”
There are only cabs and autos after 10 pm and these are not reliable options and certainly not the safest. “I have had a few problems in the past with auto drivers and have got into arguments. We are at the mercy of these drives at that point both in terms of safety and payment. This puts us in a very vulnerable position,” adds Mukherjee.
Afraid of taking the risk, there are many women who avoid travelling alone altogether. “But how many women have the luxury to do this. What if there is an emergency and you have to get to a certain place. What if you have a late night flight or have to get back home in the early hours of the morning from the airport or railway station?” asks Tanu.
Men are not spared too. There have been instances of sexual harassment against men too.
Pradeep, a techie, says that he recently received a mail from his boss warning male colleagues to be careful when travelling alone. “Of course the risk is lesser for us men. But we can be robbed and left in the middle of nowhere,” he says.
Sanjay, a sports enthusiast and women’s rights activist, says that there should be laws in place to check vehicles. “I have come across around four to five tempo traveller that look like they are built for such atrocities. They have tinted windows or windows that are draped with curtains. I do not know why such things are being allowed in the first place.”
He suggests public transportation facilities designed specifically for women and operated by women. This may help but will not completely stop instances of harassment as women drivers can be harassed by members of the public or even cops. Women should be allowed to make complaints and help lines should be available 24/7, he adds.