Economic Survey SHE Teams Lauded For Women’s Mobility

Hyderabad: The Economic Survey 2025-26 cited Hyderabad’s EHS Teams as an effective operating model, highlighting the need to overcome women’s urban mobility barriers through targeted safety measures. These teams strengthen visible police presence in high-traffic and pedestrian areas, especially during off-peak hours, to deter harassment and make commutes safer.

The survey recommended scaling up Kochi’s SHE Teams as well as Women Police control room vans that provide proactive patrols. He also called for increasing the number of female drivers through recruitment and training initiatives to address driver shortages, such as NCR Transport Corporation’s 21-day course for women aged 18-35, which covers classroom training, simulators, on-road practice and licensing.

Gender-responsive walking and cycling infrastructure was identified as vital, with features such as improved lighting, safe crossings, emergency buttons on vehicles and police verification of drivers. Examples include Chennai’s comprehensive street design guide and Bhubaneswar’s Janpath Street, which extends safety from doorstep to destination through affordable paratransit.

These measures aim to strengthen the entire women’s travel chain and thus increase participation in urban economies. According to the research, sustainable scaling can serve as a transformative tool for safer and more inclusive travel.