Safetipin, a dedicated social impact organization focused on creating responsive, inclusive, safe, and equitable urban environments, has announced plans to conduct comprehensive safety audits in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. This initiative was shared by Kalpana Viswanath, the organization’s co-founder and CEO.
During a recent visit to Kochi for the two-day Kerala Urban Conclave, organized by the Local Self-Governments department, Ms. Viswanath discussed these plans. She noted that Safetipin had previously conducted similar audits in both cities between 2018 and 2019. A safety audit serves as a vital tool for assessing specific urban areas, focusing on both physical and social infrastructure.
Identifying and Bridging Infrastructure Gaps
Ms. Viswanath highlighted Kerala’s strong performance nationally, particularly concerning infrastructure, public transportation, and the proactive response of local authorities to identified concerns. She explained, ‘We shared the data from our previous safety audit with local government bodies and the police, and also collaborated with a women’s organization in Thiruvananthapuram. This information was effectively utilized in both cities to address deficiencies in areas like street lighting and public transport infrastructure.’
Safetipin has maintained continuous communication with local authorities since then. They also conducted surveys during the planning phase of the Kochi water metro project to ensure women’s perspectives on safety and accessibility were considered.
She acknowledged specific challenges identified in both Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, including concerns about safe public transport and transit hubs, the availability of public toilets for women, and ensuring public parks are easily accessible to girls and women. However, she noted, ‘While such issues exist in every city, the critical factor is the willingness of municipalities and the police to act on these concerns and genuinely listen to women. In this regard, Kerala stands out positively.’
Introducing a Personal Safety Application
To date, Safetipin has performed safety audits in approximately 35 cities across the country. These audits help identify problem areas, locations where women feel unsafe, and pinpoint necessary infrastructure upgrades and services for fostering an equitable urban environment. The organization also provides a free personal safety app that empowers users to make more informed decisions about their travel, based on an area’s safety score. Furthermore, the app facilitates crowd-sourced data collection, allowing users to actively contribute to improving their city’s safety insights.