For many women, the first experience of sexual harassment comes at an age when they don’t even know what it means
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The city slows down as night falls. Streets empty, shops closed, and the hum of the day gives way to silence. But for women walking home from work, returning from a late class, or simply stepping outside, the night does not bring rest—it brings fear.
Dimly lit roads, unsafe public toilets, missing public transport, and unchecked threats make every journey home a challenge. Despite rising crimes against women, the government’s response remains sluggish. The numbers are alarming, the stories are horrifying, yet safety continues to be a privilege instead of a right.
Assam recorded 121 rape cases in just the first two months of 2025, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed in the state Assembly on March 3.
This is not a new crisis. Data shows Assam reported 1,019 rape cases in 2024, 989 in 2023, and 1,113 in 2022. The numbers were even worse in 2021 and 2020, with 1,733 and 1,657 cases, respectively.
Yet, beyond these figures lie thousands of unreported cases—acts of molestation, harassment, and everyday violations that never make it to the headlines but deeply impact the lives of the victms.
The murder of a woman in Lucknow, who was kidnapped, raped, and killed after boarding an auto, highlights a terrifying loophole in India’s transport system. The auto-rickshaw had no number plate, and CCTV footage showed it suspiciously circling areas to check for cameras before dumping the victim’s body.
This is not just a Lucknow problem—it’s happening in Guwahati too. Many e-rickshaws and app-based two-wheelers operate without proper registration or with mismatched number plates, making it impossible to track them in case of a crime.
Talking to GPlus, Pompy Das, a resident of Bhangagarh said, "Many times, I have noticed that the number on the app doesn’t match the vehicle’s actual plate. When I ask drivers, they always say their vehicle is in the garage, and they are using another one. How is this safe? What are the authorities doing to fix this?"
When approached, an official from the District Transport Office (DTO) responded: "Passengers can report such incidents via WhatsApp at 95311-07482. Complaints will be taken seriously."
But does filing complaints solve the problem? Or should stricter regulations be enforced in the first place?
For many women, the first experience of sexual harassment comes at an age when they don’t even know what it means.
Talking to GPlus, a sixth-semester student from Handique Girls’ College recounted her trauma: "I was just 10 when my tuition teacher touched my inner thighs. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t understand it was molestation. No one talks about these things at home, so I didn’t know who to tell. Later, when I was in 7th grade, I was groped in public. Again, I didn’t know what to do. When I finally opened up to my friends, I realised almost everyone had gone through something similar—molested by teachers, relatives, or strangers."
These incidents don’t just stop in childhood. Women face harassment daily, even in public transport.
"It’s not just at night—even during the day, older men sit too close, brush against our thighs, or conductors take advantage of the crowd. It is terrifying how normalised this is," she added.
While many institutions have set up Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) to tackle harassment, the issue remains deeply rooted.
Talking to GPlus, Assistant Professor Tasrina Iqbal from Handique Girls’ College admitted: "There is more awareness now. ICC cells and CCTV cameras have reduced some incidents, but it hasn’t been eliminated entirely."
However, safety in the workplace is not just about harassment, it’s also about infrastructure. Women working night shifts struggle with lack of transport and unsafe routes home.
A female night-shift worker questioned: "It’s my job to stay late at night. Instead of telling us not to work late, why can’t the government ensure safe transport? There used to be pink buses for women, but even those are gone now. Why?"
When the Bhraman Sarathi (Pink) Buses were launched on January 9, 2021, they symbolised hope. Women and senior citizens in Guwahati finally had a safe and free mode of transport, exclusively for them.
The initiative, flagged off by the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, was aimed at enhancing safety and accessibility, addressing concerns about harassment, overcharging, and late-night travel risks.
But today, that promise has faded.
Barely a year after its inception, the number of pink buses dwindled to just four. From an initial fleet of 25 buses, only a handful remain, barely covering a fraction of the routes they once served.
The reason? According to the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), the decline in services is due to low passenger traffic.
But is that really the full story?
For many women, the disappearance of the pink buses feels more like a failure in policy implementation than a lack of demand.
"We used to rely on these buses. They felt safe. Now, we are back to struggling with unsafe transport, and no one is even talking about why they stopped," said a college student from Cotton University.
For senior citizens, too, the pink buses were a lifeline. Many elderly passengers preferred them over overcrowded city buses, where they often struggled for a seat or faced rude behaviour from conductors.
"The pink buses were a blessing. Now, we are forced to take regular buses, where no one even offers us a seat. The government gave us hope and then quietly took it away," said a 66-year-old resident of Chandmari.
Surprisingly, when asked about the shrinking fleet, ASTC officials had no clear explanation. "As of now, there is no plan of bringing pink buses back," an ASTC official told GPlus.
The question remains: If the government could launch the Bhraman Sarathi buses with much fanfare, why couldn’t they sustain the initiative or find alternatives?
For many women working late, the absence of the pink buses means higher dependence on autos, e-rickshaws, and app-based rides, many of which have safety concerns.
Public toilets, especially at night, pose another major risk. Many are poorly maintained, poorly lit, and unsafe for women. The Assam State Commission for Women claims efforts are being made, but progress is slow.
An official from the Commission said: "In 2023-24, we proposed installing CCTV cameras even in small lanes. Implementation has started, but surveys are still ongoing."
When asked about unsafe toilets, the official suggested: "Women can use toilets at restaurants, hotels, and petrol pumps. There’s no restriction."
But why should women have to depend on private spaces for something as basic as public sanitation?
Government officials often cite financial burden as a reason for slow progress.
"The government is working on these issues, but without sufficient funds from the Centre, finding solutions is difficult," a state official admitted.
But for the women who walk home in fear every night, excuses are not enough.
Until these changes happen, the darkness will remain more than just the absence of light—it will be a symbol of the safety that women still don’t have.
