Women push for gender-inclusive urban design

Urbanisation a launchpad for equity'

- Snehil Sinha [e-mail]

NEW DELHI: For women in Indian cities, getting from home to work and back isn't just a commute—it's a battle. Each journey is marked by fear of harassment, lack of clean public toilets, unsafe last-mile connectivity, overcrowded buses, and infrastructure that simply doesn't account for their mobility needs. These challenges were among the many issues discussed on Wednesday at Urban Adda 2025, a three-day national dialogue aimed at making Indian cities more inclusive, resilient, and equitable.

Policymakers, artists, ministers and experts came under one roof on Wednesday, the second day of Urban Adda 2025. Hosted by the Raahgiri Foundation in partnership with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and GuruJal at the India Habitat Centre, the conference brought together policymakers, artists, urban mobility experts, and ministers. Hindustan Times is the media partner for the event.

Actor and wellness entrepreneur Pooja Bedi, delivering a plenary address, framed the issue in stark terms: "Our commute is not just travel. It's like survival Olympics, and the medal is just reaching home without trauma."

Bedi pointed out that cities and transit systems are designed around male travel patterns, ignoring the fact that women often travel with dependents, make multiple stops, or move during off-peak hours. "Our cities aren't built for us. The way women move through urban spaces—it's not linear, it's cyclical. We aren't just tired, we're burnt out before we even clock in," she said. "It's not just about a seat in the bus. Women have to be given a seat at the table."

But in transport systems across India, that table remains largely out of reach. Women remain underrepresented behind the wheel—whether it's buses, autos, or ferries.