Women in Indian cities face a mobility crisis rooted in patriarchal control over their physical movement in public life. Studies estimate that women's mobility rate in urban India is as low as 47%, and nearly half of urban women are not "allowed" to step out alone. Transgender persons and other gender minorities report lack of access to safe public transport.
In this context, public transport can either reinforce these constraints or help dismantle them. The design of buses, the location of stops, the timing of services, the presence or absence of lighting and toilets, the behaviour of staff and co-passengers — all of these shape whether women can move freely, safely, and with dignity. Fare is one major barrier but we work on the full spectrum of gendered accessibility, which includes quality infrastructure and safety by design to transform public transport into genuinely inclusive spaces for women and transgender persons.
This page brings together our research, statements, media and recent news on gendered accessibility and safety.
Research & Reports
- Riding the Justice RouteReport · 2024
- Halt for Women Bus UsersReport · 2023
- Journey to Campus: Mobility and Inequality in Delhi UniversityReport · 2026
- Fare-Free Future: Women's Perspectives in MumbaiReport · 2024
Statements & Letters
- Save the Pink Ticket: women's free bus travel without discriminationOpen Letter · 2025
Media & Coverage
- Buses are Free for Women in Delhi (video)Greenpeace International
- Fighting Gender Inequality Through MobilityIdeas for India · 2025
- Saheli Smart Card roll-out raises concerns of digital exclusionThe Patriot · 2025
- 'A long wait, humiliation': poor transport keeps cities unequalNewslaundry · 2025
News & Developments
- Kerala HC upholds free travel for women and transgender personsThe Hindu · 2026
- Excluded by address: migrant women, transgender persons decry Saheli CardsThe Hindu · 2025
- Beyond bus fare subsidy: women's access to gender-responsive mobilityIndiaSpend · 2025
- Why giving women free bus rides riles up the patriarchyThe Quint · 2025
Explore by theme: Fare-Free · Gender & Safety · Connectivity & Reliability · Policy & Governance