Women in Mumbai traditionally occupied public spaces with far greater ease than most other Indian cities, owing to two distinct historical phenomena. The combination of social reform movements, around freedom, education and the abolition of caste, alongside the development of public transport systems made Mumbai comfortable for women. The recent breakdown of Mumbai's public transport, at a time when its social fabric is unravelling, is fast turning the city into an urban nightmare.
"Women were at the forefront of important reform movements in Maharashtra, resulting in their taking to the streets in large numbers, " says Sameera Khan, co-author of Why Loiter?, a forthcoming book on public spaces in Mumbai. Khan indicates the ladies' compartments in Mumbai local trains, which made it possible for women to travel across the city. But Mumbai's burgeoning population has put immense strain on transport.
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