Student Protest Over Controversial Bus Shelter In Thiruvananthapuram

In the 21st century when we talk about gender equality and stopping discrimination, a small town in Thiruvananthapuram further widens this gap instead of reducing it. The local people from Chavadimukku had split the long seat in which three people can sit.

The seat was split into three to have separate sitting for males and females. Students resisted the locals and voiced their opposition by sharing pictures of girls sitting on boys’ laps. The students pointed out that few locals were monitoring their moral behaviour.

Thiruvananthapuram Controversial Bus Shelter

This opened a debate among people about whether it is right or wrong. However soon Thiruvananthapuram Corporation intervened and dismantled the divisive bus shelter near the engineering college, Chavadimukku, in order to build a gender-neutral bus shelter. The corporation demolished the bus shelter last 16 September, Friday with police protection.

Priorly, Mayor Arya Rajendran spoke to the students and offered her support. Mayor Rajendran proposed a gender-neutral bus stop. Later, the residents and students came on the same page. Locals made some renovations to the bus shelter and wrote a disclaimer that this bus shelter can be used for commuting purposes only. Students cannot come and hang out here.

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Mayor Arya Rajendran in a report said, "The construction of a new gender-neutral bus shelter will start soon. The design of the bus shelter is in the final stage and once it is completed, the work will be finished in two-weeks time."

"The residents association's construction was illegal and the discrimination towards students cannot be accepted," added Rajendran.

A student in a report said that they waiting for the new bus stop and welcomed the corporation's move of a gender-neutral bus station.

Further, student added, "After this controversy, everything was going normal and students were busy with examinations. After that, the residential association started its way of renovation. They have made writing that it can be used only as a bus station and students cannot come and sit here. During that time the Mayor had come here and she offered a new bus stop. Now she cleared the resident's associations bus stop and we are waiting for the new bus stop."