Bus Rapid Transport Peshawar is one of the best services in the world that is the reason why it has been awarded with many awards. It is facing a lot of difficulties. Incidents of women being plundered by robbers and theft while traveling in BRT is common but now a new problem of harassment of women has come up, which is the job of the government to control but on the other hand it is uncivilized by the society.
It is also a sign that women should be deprived of a better bus service only because they have to face male gazes, which BRT security has failed miserably to control. The main reason is that thieves and criminals have no fear from that security staff. According to the news of a well-known website harassment of women in Peshawar BRT buses has become normal. In BRT Peshawar buses, men even stand at the door of the female passenger section, which prevents women from reaching their seats. It is very difficult to stand and get on the bus. Despite several complaints the female gate of the bus filed with male passengers and the male and female staff of BRT stations have failed to take action against incidents of harassment.
The women passengers have demanded the installation of fences in both sections of the buses. Meanwhile women posted in BRT are also harassed by passengers. In this regard an advertisement has been placed on the page called KP Police that to cooperate with the daughters posted in the BRT service. These girls leave their homes to solve their livelihood problems so respect and protect them as your sisters and daughters. It is clear from the above advertisement that women are not fully benefiting from such an important service due to the fear of harassment.
As far as the service is concerned there is no doubt that it is a better service but a few crooked men and youths are trying to make it fail. A very important point has been overlooked in the basis on which BRT Peshawar has been receiving awards. BRT claims innovation, convenience, smart system and convenience. It has no provision for disabled, frail, sick and elderly citizens which means that a large section of the society is unable to travel in it.
The project costing around Rs 71 billion will electrify all the stations but the i.e. accelerators are not provided to the disable citizens. The few that have accelerators are also sometimes closed. Similarly, lift facility is not available at all stations and even where there is facility, some lifts are permanently closed for several months due to technical problems.
These complaints about the service are common and in a city like Peshawar where people pull down electricity poles, malfunctioning of BRTE’s accelerators is common but some of them have not even been started which needs to be taken notice by the management. These facilities will continue to improve with time but the biggest issue is the safety of passengers and women that the administration and the provincial government will have to think about and citizen police patrolling can be a better suggestion here.
If citizen police are posted in BRT stations, it will be an advantage that the citizens will feel safe and on the other hand girls working in BRT and traveling women will be protected from the eyes and actions of the obscene youth. Although these seem to be very small problems, it is discrediting the best bus service in Asia and it is causing difficulties for women travelers, school, college and university students, they consider their well-being only in moving towards private transport. It is hoped that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, who is determined to solve the basic problems of the masses on a war footing during his tenure. He must issue orders to the higher authorities regarding BRT facilities and the protection of women.
