Greenpeace India held an all-women Midnight Bus Tour on October 27, featuring marginalized women, journalists, researchers, influencers, social workers, and volunteers. The tour aimed to highlight the safety and accessibility issues faced by women in night time travel, promoting their agency and freedom. Women in Delhi united against gender-based discrimination in public mobility spaces, promoting their Right to Mobility and urging to include more buses through an evening of fun, conversation, and songs featuring singer-songwriter HeyDitty.
The tournament aimed to reclaim public spaces for women in Delhi, emphasizing the need for safe and inclusive public transport facilities. The women who were present on the bus ride discussed the various challenges women face while accessing public mobility, particularly during night time travel sharing their experiences.
India's city planning has historically neglected women's mobility rights, focusing just on men and the elite. Women, particularly from lower-income communities, rely heavily on walking and public transport for employment, education, and leisure. Personal safety concerns, such as harassment on public buses, further hinder their mobility. A World Bank report revealed that 88 per cent of Delhi women report experiencing sexual harassment in public transport due to concerns about personal safety.
Sumedha Pal, a journalist, highlighted the Midnight Bus Tour as a platform for women in Delhi to experience inclusive, safe public transport and envision sustainable cities where women are equal partners in policy and planning.
Greenpeace India's report, "Halt for Women Bus Users in Delhi" on Delhi's women bus users highlights challenges like buses not stopping for women passengers and how they face harassment and discrimination due to the free bus rides scheme for women by the Delhi government. The scheme initiated by the Delhi government in 2019 has had a positive impact on women commuters. It increased women's ridership from 25 per cent in 2020-21 to nearly 33 per cent in 2022-23.
The Climate Campaigner for Greenpeace India, Avinash Chanchal suggests that this Midnight Bus Tour highlights the need for increased public bus investments, emphasizing urban social justice and sustainable mobility. He emphasized the importance of a gender-affirming approach in urban planning, focusing on safety, convenience, and comfort for women and other gendered minorities.
