According to the Avatar Group’s 2024 report on India’s best cities for working women, Bangalore has been ranked as the safest city for working women, surpassing Chennai. The city is praised for its inclusive, safe, and adaptable environment for female professionals. Chennai, which topped the list last year, now holds second place, followed by Mumbai in third and Delhi in eighth.
The report highlights that southern cities tend to score higher in terms of gender inclusivity. The survey, conducted by the workplace culture consulting firm Avatar Group, assessed 25 cities, 16 of which were from South India.
Bangalore stands out in several key areas, including skill development, employment opportunities, basic facilities, and women’s welfare. Both Bangalore and Mumbai have strong job markets and abundant skill development opportunities, while cities like Chennai and Hyderabad slightly trail behind in these aspects.
Tamil Nadu’s Performance and City Rankings
While Tamil Nadu boasts a strong presence in the top 25 cities list, with eight cities from the state—Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Vellore, Madurai, Salem, Erode, and Tirupur—being featured, the state ranks fourth overall in the country. Kerala leads the rankings with the highest average City Inclusion Score (20.89), followed closely by Telangana (20.57), Maharashtra (19.93), Tamil Nadu (19.38), and Karnataka (17.50).
Women’s Ratings on Key Metrics: Skilling and Employment
In the women’s skilling and employment category, Gurugram ranked highest (7.68/10), followed by Mumbai (7.60) and Bengaluru (7.54). Chennai (7.09) and Hyderabad (6.95) scored slightly lower.
Infrastructure
Hyderabad (8.01) took the top spot for its well-connected public transport system, with Mumbai (7.64) and Bengaluru (7.52) following closely behind.
Efficiency of Government Bodies
Thiruvananthapuram (8.15) and Pune (7.06) led the governance efficiency category, while Gurugram (6.48) showed room for improvement.
Quality of Life
Coimbatore (7.54), Pune (7.50), and Chennai (7.05) were rated as having the best quality of life for women. In contrast, Gurugram (6.34) scored lower, likely due to environmental factors.
Safety
Thiruvananthapuram (7.43), Mumbai (7.19), and Hyderabad (6.95) ranked highest for safety. However, Bengaluru (6.17), Kochi (6.02), and Gurugram (5.60) received comparatively lower safety scores.
Despite progress in women’s development across the country, safety remains a critical concern. Even in high-tech cities, safety continues to be a significant issue, as women from various sectors increasingly take on leadership roles.
Rise In Crimes Against Women In Chennai
Reports reveal a troubling rise in crimes against women in Chennai. December 2024 alone witnessed 24 reported incidents of violence and harassment in public and private spaces, including a shocking on-campus sexual harassment case at Anna University.
According to News 24×7 Tamil, crimes against women have become disturbingly frequent in Chennai, raising urgent questions about safety and governance. Below is a timeline of notable cases reported during December 2024:
- On 4 December 2024, Gurumurthy, a 54-year-old lawyer, was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a 25-year-old woman on a bus in the Puzhal area. Following the woman’s complaint, he was remanded in judicial custody.
- On 6 December 2024, the Egmore All Women’s Police Station has registered a case against a group of college students who allegedly sexually assaulted a 21-year-old mentally ill college student. Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s father, nine college students were arrested, including the victim’s friend, a women, who had introduced the mentally unstable student to male acquaintances and a school-going boy.
- On 6 December 2024, the Ezhu Kinaru police have arrested two individuals, Barathwaj and Mohammed Abbas, for entering a women’s beauty parlour, which is locally run by the victim’s mother. The duo allegedly assaulted a 18-year-old women and issued death threats before fleeing the scene.
- On 9 December 2024, the Chennai city police apprehended a 22-year-old college student Venga Raghunath Reddy for distributing child sexual abuse (CSA) material on social media platforms. During his arrest, authorities discovered hundreds of CSA materials on his mobile phone. The accused has been charged under sections of the POCSO Act and remanded in judicial custody. Additionally, the Goondas Act has been invoked against him.
- On 10 December 2024, a college student, Vignesh, was arrested near Arumbakkam, Chennai, for attacking and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend after their breakup due to personal differences.
- On 11 December 2024, a woman in Thoraipakkam faced sexual harassment from a group of transgenders in public.
- On 12 December 2024, a history-sheeter, Saran Kumar from Otteri, was arrested for assaulting a woman.
- On 14 December 2024, an individual named Sri Ram was arrested by the Valasaravakkam police for attacking a fellow college student with a stone and attempting to force her into a romantic relationship.
- On 15 December 2024, Rajamangalam police have arrested two youths, Manukrishna, a software company employee, and G. Vishnu, a photographer from Triplicane, in connection with the alleged sexual harassment of a female food delivery executive.
- On 16 December 2024, a lorry driver arrested for attempting to sexually harass a women in Thoraipakkam
- On 19 December 2024, a man from Aminijikarai was arrested for threatening his ex-girlfriend, demanding money, and threatening to release inappropriate footage of her.
- On 20 December 2024, a man was arrested in Royapuram for attacking his wife and father-in-law demanding dowry.
- On 22 December 2024, a man was arrested in Purasaiwakkam for abusing a 38-year-old women.
- On 22 December 2024, a man was arrested in West Mambalam for sexually harassing a woman and attempting to steal her jewelry.
- On 27 December 2024, Mentally challenged woman sexually harassed in Chennai after being told she was being exorcised.
- On 28 December 2024, a lone women in home was abused and harassed.
(With inputs from Times Now)
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