Hyderabad: For many women commuters, the final stop on the Metro Rail is not the end of their journey—but the beginning of anxiety. Despite Hyderabad’s modern infrastructure and urban planning, many Metro station surroundings turn into zones of vulnerability, especially after dark.Poor lighting at exits, lack of police presence near bus bays and auto stands, and frequent harassment point to a clear disconnect between policy and ground-level enforcement. Unregulated transport stands, in particular, have become sources of discomfort and fear for many women. At Prakashnagar, one of the busiest stations, an IT professional recalled, “Women are catcalled, harassed, even verbally abused. Once, a man followed me for several minutes, making sexually explicit remarks. I was cornered and helpless—passersby ignored the situation, so I stayed silent and escaped.” Near the JBS Parade Ground auto stand, another commuter, Shobha, said, “It’s fine during the day, but after 7 pm, it’s unsafe. You constantly scan your surroundings due to poor lighting. I often pretend to be on a call just to avoid being approached.” Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, DSP Lavanya Naik said Telangana currently has 331 SHE Teams and that their patrols depend on team availability. These teams are responsible for tackling harassment and ensuring safety at known hotspots. However, officials acknowledged that each team is assigned 10–12 areas and coverage depends on manpower and time. Despite the existence of women-only Metro coaches, commuters say these are often encroached on by men. A student from Odisha shared, “While heading to my relatives’ place, I was followed and misled by a stranger. It changed how I saw the city.” Another undergraduate student recounted, “At the Secunderabad bus stop, I was physically assaulted by a middle-aged man—right in front of others who did nothing.” With Metro stations located close to residential areas and key transit hubs, women say it’s not just station security that matters, but safety in the spaces beyond the gates. They are now demanding stronger, sustained efforts to make last-mile connectivity safe and harassment-free.
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