Only 35% women feel Metro stn routes are safe
MUMBAI: 35% of women commuters and 38% of men commuters travelling on the city’s first Metro corridor between Versova and Ghatkopar purchase their tickets or cards through digital modes, reveals a study conducted to gauge differences in the travel preference of men and women.
The study further revealed that 78% of women prefer the women’s coach, associating it with safety rather than convenience. Only 35% of women felt that access routes to the stations are safe compared to more than 50% of men who felt perfectly safe on the same routes.
The study was released by the
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Monday under the Gender Inclusive Future Transport (GIFT) project, an initiative supported by the United Kingdom (UK) government in collaboration with World Resources Institute India (WRI India) that researched the differences in the travel needs of men and women. The study was conducted between October 2021 and March 2022 along the Mumbai Metro line 1. As many as 602 metro users and 703 non-users were interviewed for the gendered ridership count surveys at five key metro stations and an audit of accessibility to the metro from a gendered perspective were conducted in 10 metro stations. The MMRDA in a statement said that the report will inform the agency’s gender strategy, including the need to continuously collect gender-disaggregated data. MMRDA is also aiming to increase the number of women working in metro.
The study said, “About 76% women and 64% men reported having travelled with dependents on the metro and would want priority access at the ticketing and security along with reserved seating while travelling with dependents.” SVR Srinivas, IAS, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said, “This will radically change the agency’s ability to understand and serve the needs of women. Through this initiative, MMRDA’S Metro Line 2A and 7 is well equipped to ensure inclusive growth for Mumbai.”the study also revealed, “Women spend 21% more money on a trip than men. The reasons include expensive or multiple mode choices and for a sense of personal safety.”