Concerns regarding women’s safety in Chennai impact daily decisions, influencing travel choices and discouraging late-night outings. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is initiating a citywide assessment to understand these challenges and pinpoint safety gaps in urban areas. Costing approximately Rs 19.78 lakh, the project is slated to span over six months or more.
The primary goal of this initiative is to gather evidence-based insights that can aid in urban safety planning, governance, and service delivery. Building upon a previous survey conducted by GCC’s Gender and Policy Lab, which surveyed 3,097 individuals, including women, men, and transgender individuals, this upcoming study will employ a mixed-method research approach across all 15 zones of Chennai.
The study will encompass major transit points like bus terminals, railway stations, and crowded public areas, with around 3,000 respondents, including 2,400 women, 100 transgender individuals, and 500 respondents specifically targeted at transit hubs and public spaces. Data collection will be digital, focusing on various indicators such as mobility patterns, public transport experiences, safety perceptions, instances of harassment, and awareness of emergency helplines and support systems.
The research will involve surveys conducted on different days of the week and at various times to capture diverse travel conditions accurately. Additionally, key locations identified during the survey will be documented through photographs, and qualitative insights will be gathered through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. These interactions aim to document real-life experiences, risk perceptions, and daily obstacles faced by women and gender-diverse individuals in navigating the city.
Officials plan to cross-verify earlier reports and assess conditions at identified locations before employing statistical methods to analyze the findings. By comparing the results with baseline data, trends and shifts in safety perceptions will be tracked to shape future civic interventions, fostering safer and more inclusive streets and transport systems in Chennai.
