Women-only bus service introduced in Nepal

A bus service exclusively for women has been introduced in Nepal's capital city in a bid to make commuting safe and secure for female passengers, who often face sexual assault on public transport in the country.
The women-only bus service, comprising four 16-seater minibuses, was launched yesterday at the initiative of Kathmandu's transport entrepreneurs.
The bus service, started by Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs, will operate on key routes in Kathmandu during morning and evening rush hour.
Initially, the buses will ply on Kalanki-Balkot route, but the service will later expand to all four corners of the city and more buses will be added if the special service becomes successful in the preliminary phase, the transport entrepreneurs said.

Only one of the buses currently has a female conductor but eventually all-women crew will be employed.
Women in Nepal often face groping and sexual assault while travelling on public transport especially during peak hours when buses are overcrowded.
"This is a big initiative taken by transport entrepreneurs to make commuting safe and secure for women travellers," said Tulasi Sitaula, secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.