The Kerala State Women’s Commission has directed that steps be taken to provide more facilities and security to women at the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) terminal at Thampanoor here.
The directive comes following a fact-finding visit to the terminal by commission member M.S. Thara. The women’s subcommittee of the Kerala State Transport Employees Union had approached the commission as problems raised by employees and travellers had not been addressed.
At present, there is a common path to the toilets for both men and women at the bus-station. This posed a problem to women commuters. Adequate lighting should be provided at night, the commission said in a letter to the KSRTC MD, KTDFC general manager, District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram city), and the Mayor.
It directed that women police personnel be deployed at the police aid post and its functioning be improved. Restrooms should be provided to women employees of the corporation.
Beggars at the terminal posed a threat to women, and steps should be taken to remove them.
Report sought
The commission has also sought a report from the KSRTC executive director on the incident in which a Minnal bus from Kozhikode did not stop at night to allow a girl student to alight where she wanted to. The commission found that the KSRTC staff did not act in an appropriate and humane manner. It also directed that women travelling alone at night on limited-stop buses should be allowed to alight where they want to.
