Delhi Government Constitutes Task Force to Improve Women’s Safety in Public Transport

New Delhi, June 15, 2019: The Delhi government’s Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) has constituted a special task force to improve the safety of women travelling on public transport in the national capital.

The task force will review existing government initiatives aimed at protecting women commuters and recommend additional measures to make buses, Metro trains and other public transport services safer. It will also examine the effectiveness of current safety arrangements and suggest improvements to the government.

The initiative was approved by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot. According to DDC Vice-Chairperson Jasmine Shah, the task force will conduct both on-ground and policy-level reviews of existing schemes and recommend new measures to strengthen women’s safety in Delhi.

Task Force to Review Women’s Safety Measures

The task force will assess several initiatives introduced by the Delhi government, including the installation of CCTV cameras and panic buttons in buses and the deployment of bus marshals.

The Bus Marshal Scheme, introduced in 2015, was designed to improve passenger safety by deploying marshals in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. The task force will review the scheme’s effectiveness and recommend ways to strengthen it.

Another important responsibility will be to improve the reporting and response mechanisms for incidents of harassment involving women commuters. The panel will also examine ways to improve the overall commuting experience for women.

Who Will Be Part of the Task Force?

The committee will include representatives from different public transport agencies and government departments, along with experts from civil society organisations working on women’s safety and public transport.

Its membership will include representatives from:

• Delhi Transport Department
• Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)
• Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS)
• Delhi Police
• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
• Delhi Commission for Women
• Revenue Department
• Civil society organisations and women’s safety experts

The Transport Minister will also nominate two women who regularly use public transport so that the experiences and concerns of everyday commuters can be considered while developing recommendations.

The task force will also work towards gender sensitisation among bus drivers and conductors to encourage safer and more respectful behaviour towards women passengers.

Jasmine Shah Emphasises the Importance of Women’s Safety

DDC Vice-Chairperson Jasmine Shah said that ensuring the safety of women travelling on public transport was an important responsibility. He stated that the task force would monitor existing government initiatives and recommend measures to make public transportation safer and more convenient for women.

The committee was expected to play an important role in reviewing the implementation of safety measures, identifying shortcomings and suggesting improvements to the Delhi government.

The initiative was part of the Delhi government’s broader efforts to improve women’s access to public transport and address safety concerns during daily commuting.