The survey in Kochi revealed that 62% of women have no access to a personal vehicle, and even among households that own one, only 38% said that it was available to them. In contrast, among vehicle-owning households, 85% of men enjoy unrestricted access. These figures highlight barriers to women’s mobility, barriers that MobiliseHER seeks to address by building more inclusive transport systems.

We started with the most important step: listening to users. Surveys were conducted with 1,363 participants in Kochi, 69% of whom were women, reflecting a deliberate focus on gendered experiences of mobility. To capture a wide range of commuting realities, data was collected from transit hubs, universities, residential areas and informal workspaces.

The sampling method was designed with support from KAPS (Kerala Association of Professional Social Workers) to capture diversity across social strata. The largest share of respondents were aged 45–64, showing a strong representation of middle-aged and older adults. About 22% of interviewees earned less than INR 15,000 per month. Among this low-income group, nearly a quarter relied primarily on walking as their mode of travel.

Dr Shaly M O, core member of the Kerala Association of Professional Social Workers (KAPS), coordinated the survey in Kochi. She highlights that the survey itself became an important moment of reflection:

“An often overlooked but deeply significant outcome of the MobiliseHER fieldwork was the way the survey process itself functioned as an awareness-building exercise for many women participants. When a woman chooses to spend 20-30 minutes thoughtfully engaging with questions about her daily travel patterns, safety concerns, access to transport, and infrastructure needs, it is not just data that is being gathered. This realisation is empowering.”

What the survey reveals about mobility in Kochi

The survey highlights multiple dimensions of mobility, from access to personal vehicles and public transport to access disparities availablity of safe infrastructure and perceptions of safety.

The findings reveal striking contrasts between men and women in mobility:

• · 66.5% of women reported feeling unsafe during specific times or in certain locations, nearly double the percentage of men.

• · Walking, often the only option for low-income women, more than doubles the odds of feeling unsafe.

• · When it comes to driving skills, stark gender differences emerged. Among men, 83.82% know how to ride bicycles and 79.42% know how to drive two-wheelers. Among women, these figures drop sharply to 31.65% and 30.34%, respectively.

The data also show how safety concerns shape travel choices differently across genders. Women are significantly more likely than men to adapt their behaviour: travelling with a friend or family member (6.27% vs 1.54% for males), changing or limiting their time of travel (4.99% vs 2.12% for males), switching or avoiding certain modes (3.83% vs 2.5% for males), or even changing destination and avoiding specific places (1.72% vs 0.58% for males).

As Dr Shaly explains, these daily struggles take a real toll on women’s opportunities and participation:

“I have seen women and students waiting for hours at bus stops, struggling to board overcrowded buses, often unable to get in during peak hours. Many are stuck in long traffic blocks, causing delays that disrupt not only their work schedules but also their responsibilities at home. Over time, these constraints can hold women back from realizing their full potential.”

When it comes to digital tools, mobility apps may help plan journeys, but do not eliminate fear. Even though 85.25% of women owned smartphones, only 39% reported using mobility apps. And even among this digitally connected group, 63% still expressed fear while commuting. These insights underscore that technology alone does not ensure safety or autonomy, especially for women.

Kochi and the MobiliseHER project

Kochi is one of India’s major economic and transportation hubs, served by a mix of systems including the Metro, Water Metro, buses and ferries. despite these investments, the city still faces significant challenges in making urban mobility safe and inclusive, particularly for women and marginalised communities. This gap highlights the need for initiatives like MobiliseHER to bring a gender-responsive perspective into transport planning.

From insights to change

The Commuter Perception Survey investigates the gendered dynamics of mobility in Kochi by analysing how access, safety, income, skill and digital use intersect to shape everyday travel.

These insights feed directly into developing gender-sensitive transport frameworks, the capacity of local institutions, and piloting inclusive solutions in Kochi, through MobiliseHER.

We understand mobility is not just about infrastructure, and through user-centric surveys in Kochi, we have heard voices too often overlooked, real stories, daily challenges and hopes for safer, more equitable transport.

As Dr. Shaly reflects, the project’s strength lies not only in the numbers but in how they connect to lived experiences:

“By combining methodological rigor with human connection, MobiliseHER has laid a strong foundation in Kochi for advancing gender-responsive urban mobility solutions. These insights can guide service improvements and policy interventions while building community trust.”

These numbers are just part of a broader analysis that directly supports MobiliseHER’s goal: to create gender-inclusive, affordable, and safe urban mobility systems that address both access and safety as integral parts of mobility.