Women in Urban Transport: From Safe Travel to Sustainable Livelihoods
Speaker : Dr. Meghna Verma
Adjunct Faculty, NIAS, Associate Professor-Dept. of Marketing and International Business,
Head-Centre for Sustainability, Head-Centre for Research and Consultancy,
FPM -Coordinator, Ramaiah Institute of Management, Bengaluru
@ : meghna@msrim.org
Chairperson : Dr. Aleena Sebastian
Assistant Professor, School of Social Sciences, NIAS
@ :aleena.sebastian@nias.res.in
Date : 9th September 2026
Time : 9.30 AM
Venue : Lecture Hall
Abstract: Urban transport shapes women's access to education, employment, healthcare, and social participation, making it a critical determinant of quality of life and inclusive development. This presentation explores gender and urban transport in India, from women's experiences as transport users to their emerging role as transport service providers. Drawing on studies of women's safety in public buses, gender-responsive transport planning, and evidence from research on Karnataka's Shakti Scheme, the presentation examines how affordability initiatives must be complemented by improvements in safety, service quality, accessibility, and last-mile connectivity to enhance women's mobility. The presentation further includes recent study on women autorickshaw drivers, demonstrating how transport can create sustainable livelihood opportunities while addressing barriers related to safety, infrastructure, care responsibilities, and institutional support. The presentation argues that achieving gender-responsive urban transport requires a shift from improving women's mobility alone to enabling their meaningful participation in the transport workforce, thereby advancing social inclusion, economic empowerment, and sustainable urban development.
About the speaker: Dr. Meghna Verma is an academician, researcher and sustainability advocate with over 24 years of experience spanning industry, teaching, and research. She holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Her research focuses on sustainability, gender-responsive urban transport, consumer behaviour, responsible consumption, airport retail, religious and sustainable tourism, and AI-enabled services. She has led government-funded and policy-oriented projects, including the DULT Gender SMART Mobility initiative. She has authored a book chapter on Climate Justice and Inclusive Urban Resilience (ORF, 2025) and contributed to drafting a Gender-Inclusive HR policy for K-RIDE, GoK. Dr. Verma has published over 60 research papers, many in leading international journals and actively collaborates with academia, industry, and government to advance evidence-based, sustainable, and inclusive development.