Chennai Corporation to reassess women’s safety perceptions in city’s public spaces and transport

How safe do women feel when they step out after dark in Chennai, or board a bus for daily travel? The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to undertake a city-wide study again to examine women’s experiences in public spaces and public transport.

The project has been alloted an estimated ₹19.78 lakh, and is expected to be completed in over six months, according to GCC.

An earlier survey by GCC’s Gender and Policy Lab covered 3,097 respondents, including women, men and transgender persons. It surveyed 49.4% of two-wheeler users who used Google Maps and rated their safety perception at night at three or below on a five-point scale.

The upcoming midline study would adopt a mixed-method approach and will be conducted across all 15 zones of Chennai and major transit points. It will cover 3,000 respondents, including 2,400 women, 100 transgender persons and 500 respondents at transit and public locations.

Data will be digitally collected on mobility patterns, public transport experiences, safety perceptions, instances of harassment and awareness of helplines. Surveys will be conducted at different times and days, and key locations will be documented through photographs, accoriding to GCC.

Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to collect qualitative data and document experiences and perceptions related to safety in public spaces and public transport will also be conducted.

The study will review earlier reports and verify data at identified sites. Findings will be analysed using statistical methods and compared with baseline data.