In spite of reservation, seats elude women in buses

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 22

Travelling on state roadways buses has been a tough task for the women since the staff does not ensure that seats reserved for them are occupied by them only.

In most cases, they just look the other way or express their helplessness when men stubbornly occupy seats marked for women.

The recent controversy around the two Rohtak college girls molestation case focuses on this rampant violation of departmental standing orders on this issue.

Haryana Roadways DG had directed all depot managers to ensure that the reserved seats for women were allotted to them only. “We have asked the booking clerks and the conductors not to allot reserved seats to males. It’s difficult for the conductor to forcibly remove a male passenger from seat,” said an official.

The DG had directed that 15 seats are reserved for women in each bus (7 to 9, 12 to 21 and 25-26) while seat numbers 4- 6 are reserved for senior citizens, ex-servicemen and differently abled persons.

We are considering online bookings like the air conditioned (AC) buses on long routes for shorter routes, so it’s necessary to strictly adhere to the reservation norms, he added.

Many women passengers told TNS that despite seeking the help of the conductor, they get the seats to occupied seats reserved for them. Suman Lata, school teacher from Hansi, said it is a harrowing experience daily to Hisar. The men always elbow out the women while boarding a bus. I once argued with such a passenger to vacate the seat but he refused. When I approached the bus conductor, he advised me to let it go. Instead, he requested two persons on a seat meant for two persons to accommodate me, she said.

Nirmala, district president of Janwadi Mahila Samiti, said they had met the transport manager at the local bus stand. “They are not bothered and allot seats reserved for women. Most of us have to travel while standing among a crowd of males and molestation and eve-teasing are common in buses,” she said.