Hyderabad Metro's Safety Measures for Women Under Scrutiny as 70% Feel Unsafe Late at Night

Although the Hyderabad Metro has several safety features for women, including coaches reserved for women and signage, the majority of women state they don't feel safe, especially during late-night travel.

Investigation Regarding Safety Issues of Women in Hyderabad Metro

A recent investigation found the following concerns:

• The women's compartments are sometimes used by men, and enforcement is lax.

• Platforms and stations are dimly lit at night, and security staff are either few or not always visible.

• The complaint systems (apps, WhatsApp numbers) are unknown, and many women say they don't feel comfortable or confident using them.

Although the metro firm Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) states that there are CCTV cameras, helplines, and police staff onboard, the reality of commuter feedback does not match those claims. Especially when it is crowded or late, women state that they feel uneasy and cautious.

A sample survey of 410 women found that 70% felt unsafe traveling between about 9 p.m. and 11:45 p.m., citing deserted platforms, poor lighting, lack of visible security, and men entering women-only coaches as reasons.

While the Hyderabad Metro has taken measures to make travel safer for women, in practice, many women still feel vulnerable and say more needs to be done around monitoring women-only compartments, station lights, staffing, and making complaint tools easy and reliable to use.