“As a Kashmiri woman and professional, I am deeply disturbed by the harassment on public buses that I witness every day.” Once, while I was traveling in a red bus from Lal Bazar to Lal Chowk, a man standing behind me kept deliberately pushing against me and trying to touch me inappropriately. I tried to get away but he wouldn’t stop. When | When we confronted him, no one intervened, neither the passengers nor the conductor,” Aliya Bashir said.
She further recalled: “The bus continued driving as if nothing had happened.” This moment shocked me and made me realize how normal harassment still is on public transport. After that, I stopped riding red buses altogether because even if the service is free, my safety is much more important.”
In a country of 1.4 billion people, public transportation is the backbone of daily life. It connects millions of people to jobs, education and healthcare, facilitating social inclusion and productivity. But for nearly half of India’s population – women and girls – this vital transport system often becomes a barrier, not a bridge.
Every morning, buses across Srinagar fill with students heading to college, women heading to the office, workers starting another long day, and families rushing through the daily grind of city life. Public transportation is a necessity and should be a safe, shared space. But for many women, getting on a bus is never just another ride to work.
In a country of 1.4 billion people, public transportation is the backbone of daily life. It connects millions of people to jobs, education and healthcare, facilitating social inclusion and productivity. But for nearly half of India’s population – women and girls – this vital transport system often becomes a barrier, not a bridge.
A struggle that often goes unnoticed
Unpleasant experiences on buses are not always accompanied by clearly visible forms of harassment. Sometimes it’s a lingering look. Sometimes it’s a man who sits too close despite having plenty of space. It can also be a short comment. And again and again it is the deliberate, slow stroke of your hand against your own body. These are moments so small that others may not notice them, but they stay with women long after the ride is over.
Speaking to FII, Yashika Butt, a Kashmiri student from Anantnag, recalls one such incident. She says: “I remember it clearly.” I was in the 10th grade. The bus was very crowded and two boys standing next to me started rubbing themselves on me. I wanted to respond, but I was too afraid to speak up for fear of being blamed for something they had done. So I got off at the next stop and walked the rest of the way home.” When asked if she still uses public transport, she replies: “I don’t think such harassment will ever completely stop.” “My father recently bought me a scooter and now I travel on the scooter.”
Sahiba Showkat, now 39 years old, remembers an incident from her time as a student. “I got on the bus and sat down. After a while, an old man came and sat next to me. Little by little he put his hand on my stomach. I was scared and froze. I couldn’t say a word. Finally he got off the bus as if he had done nothing wrong, but I was scared and speechless. I didn’t even tell my family because I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “The silence hurt almost as much as the incident itself.”
Women change routes, avoid the crowded evening buses, pretend to answer calls, wear safety pins and share their location with friends to feel safer. However, these measures can only have a certain impact if such harassment is committed with impunity and within a culture of silence
Women change routes, avoid the crowded evening buses, pretend to answer calls, wear safety pins and share their location with friends to feel safer. However, these measures can only have a certain impact if such harassment is committed with impunity and within a culture of silence
Sadiya Masoodi, a student from Srinagar, told FII: “I have experienced harassment on public transport before; once someone touched me inappropriately. However, I immediately spoke up and asked, ‘Why are you touching me?’ and said, “Can you please move aside?” Such behavior should never be tolerated. I think many remain silent because they are afraid of being judged, especially in a conservative society like ours. But as young women, we don’t have to put up with that anymore. “We can report this behavior.”
The norm instead of the exception
Harassment on public buses is no exception; It’s the norm, and that’s the real crisis. According to NCRB data, India has recorded 4.45 lakh cases of crimes against women in 2022, which is one case every 51 minutes. This is what the 2025 She Shakti Suraksha survey by CNN-News18 found 7 percent of women were harassed in public spaces.
According to the findings of the National Annual Report and Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025, public transportation is one of the most common places where sexual harassment has occurred 29 percent of cases. Another study showed that 56 percent of urban women in India have experienced harassment on public transport.
Using public transportation remains one of the most inconvenient parts of women’s everyday lives. Although the law contains provisions to combat such sexual harassment, its implementation leaves much to be desired.
Using public transportation remains one of the most inconvenient parts of women’s everyday lives. Although the law contains provisions to combat such sexual harassment, its implementation leaves much to be desired. Speaking to FII, Syed Sehrish, a Srinagar-based lawyer, says, “I believe that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), particularly Sections 73, 74 and 79, provide a strong legal framework to combat harassment of women on public transport.” However, the problem lies in the implementation of these regulations.”
It continued: “Cases are under-reported, police operations are often delayed, CCTV cameras continue to malfunction and transport staff are ignorant of gender issues, resulting in women continuing to feel unsafe despite current laws.” Security cannot just be a matter of creating laws. This should include efficient policing, trained and sensitized transport staff and a zero-tolerance approach.”
Fear shapes the way women move in public spaces
There are also opportunity costs and emotional costs that are rarely considered when discussing sexual harassment on public transportation. Fear shapes the way women move through cities, and this affects their educational prospects and employment opportunities, as well as their emotional well-being and the exercise of their autonomy.
Women’s daily struggles for safety often go unnoticed. This is not because harassment goes undetected, but because it is overlooked. Sexual harassment on public transport is everyday life for women. However, this raises a question: If everyone knows how unsafe public transport is for women, why does the burden of safety still fall entirely on them?
Quotes in this article have been edited for length and clarity.