Working Women, Delhi Metro and Covid-19: A Case Study in Delhi-NCR

Availability of safe, reliable and affordable public transport facilitates access to work opportunities. This relationship between transport and economic independence is not gender neutral. Delhi’s Metro Rail Network marked a milestone in this regard as it provided a gender-sensitive means of mass transit with specific facilities for women passengers. However, the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, followed by restrictions on mobility and change in working habits, brought the urban public transport network to a standstill. Given this background, the paper explores the impact of Metro Rail Network on the commuting pattern and preferences of working women in Delhi-NCR region as well as the travel-related challenges faced by women that were magnified during the pandemic.