Even though Bangalore was in the forefront of introducing special buses for women in 2008, the services were stopped in a few months since its launch.
On the other hand, the Delhi Transport Corporation launched a bus service exclusively for women commuters on September 26 on 11 major routes connecting major offices and market complexes with residential colonies across the city.
However, women in Bangalore feel it is high time they got back their pink buses, on the city roads considering the peak hour traffic.
City Express spoke to a few women organisations on this issue.
Usha, the programme coordinator of Hengasara Hakkina Sangha, a women’s resource centre said, “I used these buses when they were once plying in the city.
At least in the peak hours, the authorities can introduce exclusive buses for women.
They were very helpful for college going girls, so I would definitely like to see the buses again.” Voicing her concern, Dona Fernandes from Vimochana, a non-profit organisation dealing with women centric issues said, “We need to look into as to why the whole scheme failed? We cannot simply bring back the buses.
Before taking such a step, the authorities must undertake some kind of survey pertaining to the needs of the women, likewhich are the routes that most women travel, the time where the demand is more etc.
We need to ask the people their views on such a facility.” Even Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) is planning to introduce special buses on two routes during peak hours.
Though the pink buses were meant exclusively for women, male counterparts were also seen travelling in these buses on many occassions.
As far as the practicality of bringing back the pink buses in Bangalore is concerned, there are hardly any hopes according to traffic expert MN Sreehari.
He says, “It was a failed initiative.
Only during the peak hours it got good response and throughout the day, the buses were almost empty.
Considering the female and male statistic ratio standing at 1: 3, the authority cannot earn any revenue on it.
If the demand is more and there is a reasonable profit, then I do not see any reason why we cannot have buses dedicated only for women.
However, at this juncture I do not see the possibility of pink buses plying on the city roads again.”