‘Ladies’ seats in Kolkata buses

Kolkata is probably the only city in India where there are seats reserved for women in public transports like the bus, the mini bus, the private bus and trams. There are special ‘ladies only' trams also in some tram routes frequented by women who go to work – other women and girls take advantage of these transports when available because these ensure adequate security as well as privacy.
In the local trains of Mumbai and Kolkata, there are compartments reserved for women commuters where men are not allowed to board – once again, it is from safety considerations.

But, the reservation of a few seats for women in public transports in Kolkata is something that defies logic. It is implemented to such an extent that, in case men occupy these seats, the very sight of a woman approaching sends shivers up their spines and they to get up with a wry face to allow the woman to sit.
Those who occupy these seats have to literally fight their way through the mass of sweating, smelly men to first reach the coveted seat and, once again they have to elbow their way out of the men to get down from the bus. It is difficult to appreciate their regular tussles for the ‘ladies only’ seat. In any case, when all these reserved seats are taken, they have to travel like any other ordinary commuter.
Why then should there be seats reserved for women when they have to face so much hardship? It was probably OK 30 or 40 years back when the number of working women was much less but, today it is out of place.
In other metros, women travel just as their male counterparts rubbing shoulder to shoulder. They occupy seats as and when they fall vacant and do not bother much about the man sitting next to her. In the age of women’s lib, the women have learnt to assert themselves – why then should the women of Kolkata still want these privilege?
It would be of interest to know that in cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Nashik, there are women bus conductors who can give the men a run for their money. They do not tolerate any nonsense and can take on the men on equal terms. That is as it ought to be. The women of Kolkata should fight for removal of such silly privileges. (to be continued …)

(Image courteous wikimediacommons.org)
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