While the whole country is concerned for women's safety in light of recent horrific events, the Bihar government launched a "Safe Travel" initiative to enhance safety for solo women travelers. This initiative will commence as a pilot project in six state districts, followed by a state-wise implication by mid-September.

This thoughtful initiative is part of the state police's emergency service and will aim to provide real-time monitoring and protection to women travelers. This will further escalate women's safety as solo travelling has been a major concerns for women while travelling.

The project will initially launch on 5 September. Six districts including, Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Nalanda will be part of the pilot scheme. By 15 September the initiative will reportedly reach out to all 38 state districts.

Safe Travel
Image Source: LinkedIn

How will the initiative work?

An emergency number has been set up as part of the initiative. The women who are travelling alone will have to dial 112 on their mobile. This will allow the police to record the details of the vehicle and further track their journey. Women will also have an option to share their live location with police.  Upon any irregularities, the police will take immediate action.

To counter the technical irregularities and to ensure a smoother implementation, the monitoring will be done both physically and digitally. A Times Now report claims that specially trained teams of police will be in touch with the travellers over phone calls, and if the phone is not reachable, an emergency patrol car will immediately rush to track down the vehicle.

“The Safe Travel initiative will be available round the clock and is designed to provide immediate assistance and reassurance to women travellers,” DIG Nirmal Kumar Azad Azad said. He further mentioned that women's safety is much needed as 25% of the total emergency calls are made by women.

This initiative draws inspiration from similar programmes implemented by Telangana and Haryana. The state will aim to provide a better and safer travelling experience to women through this initiative and will further encourage the central government to take similar actions as women's safety is a national concern.

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