37% Indians Experienced, Observed Scuffle And Harassment In Flights, Trains, Buses In Last 3 Years: Survey

37 per cent respondents said they have experienced or observed harassment, scuffle or abuse in public transport, while 56% denied having experienced or observed such incidents in the last 3 years. 

New Delhi: At least 37 per cent of Indian citizens said they have experienced or observed scuffle, harassment or unruly behaviour on public transport like flights, trains, buses etc, said a report by LocalCircles. The survey comes after a series of incidents were reported in the recent past of inappropriate behaviour by passengers on flight. 

These incidents include urinating in an inebriated state by a student on a New Delhi-bound flight from New York on March 3 and smoking by a passenger in the lavatory of Air India flight on March 12. On January 19 a Metro bus conductor in Chennai was suspended after a video of him misbehaving with a woman passenger. 

As per the report, unruly behaviour include include incidents of groping and other sexual harassment of women and girls, co-passengers not respecting the rights of people who have confirmed booking, staff behaving rudely, the transport vehicle not being maintained properly, passengers damaging the vehicle on whim or being untidy or even inconsiderate like talking loudly, playing loud music or throwing garbage near their seat.

“Newspapers often report such cases including women being molested and thrown out of trains for resisting the tormentors,” it added. 

37 per cent respondents said they have experienced or observed harassment, scuffle or abuse in public transport, while 56% denied having experienced or observed such incidents in the last 3 years. 

Of those who did experience such behaviour, 10% admitted to having witnessed or experienced such incidents 4-6 times in the last 3 years; 16% indicated 2-3 times and 11% indicated one time.

On being asked whether “creating awareness and a signed declaration when buying a ticket will improve the situation”, 69 per cent of the 10,683 respondents “expressed optimism”. As per the report, 46% of respondents said they were “definitely” sure on this course of action while 23% felt it “might have some positive impact” 

Among the remaining respondents, 11% said they had no hope that the situation will improve “even after awareness campaigns and strict punishment/ penalty”; while 16% felt that such a step will work only if “strict punishment/ penalty” is enforced and 4% of the respondents gave no clear reply.