Assessment of Tokenism in Feminist Approach in Indian Transportation and Mobility Planning Systems: Addressing the Inclusivity and Intersectionality Needed.

If the cities are the growing engines of the economy, transportation and mobility set the pace. Considering the crucial role of transportation system in urban planning, and its impacts on socio- economic complexities, Henri Lefebvre’s concept of the “Right to the City” highlights the role of socio-economic inclusivity in urban spaces (Lefebvre, 1968). David Harvey extends this idea by emphasis of design and governance of urban spaces, which must consider diverse socio dynamics (Harvey,2008). Current transportation and mobility systems in India often neglects feminist perspectives. Feminism is a movement integral to the progress of society in terms of intersectionality and inclusivity, despite its occasional denials from some quarters. Feminist approach in urban development is often questioned due to the frequent misunderstanding of feminism essence. Scholars such as Susan Hanson and Karen Lucas have argued that inclusivity and intersectionality in planning can significantly improve urban mobility systems (Hanson, 2010; Lucas, 2012). This represents the core of the feminist approach elaborated in this research. However, the tokenism in the feminist approach in the context of Indian transportation and mobility planning needs to be addressed. It is imperative to discuss this to shape transport in India which includes everyone. To support this, the research first explores the concepts of intersectionality and inclusivity within the feminist approach with the six key parameters of right to right to mobility (Sheller & Urry, 2006), equity, safety, affordability, accessibility and the mobility of care (Uteng, 2012). The research examines tokenism in the current transportation and mobility systems of India at two levels, with a special attention to the gaps between feminist approaches and tokenism present under the guise of feminist approach. Firstly, assessment of policies and initiatives at the national level across various states in India will be done, with a critical analysis of their effectiveness of meeting the diverse needs of the population. Secondly, the case of Delhi evaluates the tokenism in the implementation and impact of policies and initiatives specially targeted to women. Further the research briefs about the case of Vienna, Austria known as a feminist city as a reference to best practices. The research concludes with the suggestion of a six-step mechanism at the governance and policy level with respect to any region. This research contributes to both academic discourse and practical applications in transport and mobility planning, emphasizing the need for a feminist approach.