Urgent Call for Gender-Inclusive Transit
As the winter season approaches, Kashmir’s days grow shorter, and darkness falls early, significantly reducing work hours. However, the harsh winters cannot diminish the everyday demands of life. In these challenging times, residents must strive to keep up with the ever-ticking clock hands.
A common practice during winters in Kashmir is for people to start their work late and finish early, leading to chaos during peak bus departure and arrival times. This congestion, jam-packed buses, and the fear of arriving late weigh heavily on the working class, causing distress and confusion.
While men somehow manage to squeeze onto these overcrowded buses, women often find themselves waiting for hours to board, with no available seats. They end up standing in these overcrowded vehicles, surrounded by strangers. One can’t help but wonder how we would react if our mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives had to endure this harassment daily.
These women juggle office responsibilities, manage their homes, care for their children, and, at the end of the day, endure such mistreatment. It begs the question: Is anyone paying attention?
The recent inauguration of a hundred women-only buses in Srinagar by the LG administration in collaboration with the Srinagar Smart City Corporation Limited was a step in the right direction. These buses were dedicated to women, but unfortunately, they often remain occupied by men, leaving women still waiting. This raises concerns about the true purpose of labeling these services as “women special” if women continue to face hardships.
Outside of Jammu and Kashmir, one finds that men cannot board women-only buses, occupy seats reserved for women, or enter women-only train coaches or metro compartments. Yet, in Kashmir, even elderly women are forced to stand while men sit in reserved seats meant for them. This glaring lack of discipline, respect, and understanding within our society demands immediate introspection.
It is high time that we, as a community, prioritize creating gender-inclusive public transportation and fostering a culture of respect and understanding. It is only through this change that we can ensure that our sisters, daughters, and wives no longer have to endure such hardships on a daily basis.
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