Separate Carriages for Women Could Be Introduced in Tashkent Metro

The possibility of introducing separate carriages for women and men in the Tashkent Metro has once again come under discussion. Although the initiative has not yet resulted in a concrete decision, metro officials have not ruled out considering it during the construction of new metro sections and the renewal of the train fleet.

Yuldash Yusupov, a representative of the Tashkent Metro administration, commented on the proposal during a meeting with media representatives on November 3. According to him, suggestions to introduce separate carriages have been reaching the metro administration through social media and public appeals.

However, the necessary conditions to implement the initiative are currently lacking. Passenger flow patterns and the metro's technical capabilities are among the main obstacles.

According to Yusupov, women account for an average of 40% of passengers using the capital's metro system. As a result, separating carriages by gender would require additional solutions in transport system planning.

Safety concerns remain part of the debate

The metro representative noted that separate carriages could serve not only as an alternative travel option for passengers but also as one of the measures to reduce inappropriate behaviour and harassment against women on public transport.

This practice is not new to international transport systems. Dedicated carriages for women are used in countries including India, Japan, Egypt, Brazil, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. In some countries, they operate regularly, while in others they are available only during peak hours or on designated days.

However, there is another aspect to consider. Irina Matvienko, founder of the Nemolchi.uz project, believes that separate carriages could strengthen the sense of safety among some women. Nevertheless, she argues that achieving long-term results requires systematic measures to ensure safety across public transport networks.

No implementation timeline has been announced

According to the metro administration, the possibility of allocating special carriages for women could be considered as part of plans to build new metro sections and purchase new trains.

For now, no decision has been made to introduce separate carriages on existing metro lines. No implementation timeline has been announced either.

The future of the initiative will depend on the technical modernisation of the Tashkent Metro and decisions made with passengers' needs in mind.

Author: Hasanboy OCHUN