Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Steps to prevent harassment of women on buses

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government will initiate measures to prevent harassment of women travelling in KSRTC and private buses, Transport Minister N. Sakthan has said.

Inaugurating a discussion on "Sexual harassment of women in transport vehicles" here on Tuesday, Mr. Sakthan said that at least 25 per cent of the seats in all buses would be reserved for women.

Conductors and other crew members have been instructed to provide maximum possible number of seats for women travellers. He said sexual harassment occurred mostly on crowded buses in which women had no other option but to travel standing. Women who felt offended by the behaviour of a male fellow traveller, could ask the bus to be taken to the nearest police station, Mr. Sakthan said. Less than one per cent of male travellers in transport buses were guilty of sexually harassing women. Mr. Sakthan said the United Democratic Front Government was committed to empowering women.

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