Latest news with #PoojaBedi
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Urban Adda 2025: Women push for gender-inclusive urban design
For women in Indian cities, getting from home to work and back isn't just a commute — it's a battle. Each journey is marked by fear of harassment, lack of clean public toilets, unsafe last-mile connectivity, poorly lit streets, overcrowded buses, and infrastructure that simply doesn't account for their mobility needs. These challenges were among the many issues discussed on Wednesday at Urban Adda 2025, a three-day national dialogue aimed at making Indian cities more inclusive, resilient, and equitable. Policymakers, artists, ministers and experts came under one roof on Wednesday, the second day of Urban Adda 2025. Hosted by the Raahgiri Foundation in partnership with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and GuruJal at the India Habitat Centre, the conference brought together policymakers, artists, urban mobility experts, and ministers. Hindustan Times is the media partner for the event. Actor and wellness entrepreneur Pooja Bedi, delivering a plenary address, framed the issue in stark terms: 'Our commute is not just travel. It's like survival Olympics, and the medal is just reaching home without trauma.' Bedi pointed out that cities and transit systems are designed around male travel patterns, ignoring the fact that women often travel with dependents, make multiple stops, or move during off-peak hours. 'Our cities aren't built for us. The way women move through urban spaces — it's not linear, it's cyclical. We aren't just tired, we're burnt out before we even clock in,' she said. 'It's not just about a seat in the bus. Women have to be given a seat at the table.' But in transport systems across India, that table remains largely out of reach. Women remain underrepresented behind the wheel — whether it's buses, autos, or ferries. Rajeshwari Balasubramanian from the Azad Foundation traced the decade-long battle to train and hire women as heavy vehicle drivers in Delhi. 'When we began speaking with the government in 2015, the eligibility criteria itself was discriminatory,' she said. 'A height requirement of 167 cm and a minimum of three years' experience meant most women didn't even stand a chance.' Thanks to sustained advocacy and structured training, the foundation helped over 100 women break into the transport sector and get hired by agencies like the Delhi Transport Corporation. But even then, Balasubramanian said, the road wasn't smooth. 'Hiring was just the beginning. Depots lacked hygienic toilets. There were no rest areas. Infrastructure was still unequal. We had to train women not just in driving but also in communication, self-defence, and resilience.' Swati Khanna, Senior Sector Specialist for Urban Mobility at KfW Development Bank, underscored the systemic nature of the problem. 'Our systems need to be gender-agnostic, but in reality, they exclude women. Inclusion has to be intentional,' she said. Khanna shared a telling example from Kochi, where GIZ supported the launch of an all-electric water metro. 'Initially, only one woman applied to be a ferry pilot — and she dropped out. But when the Metro reached out to the Naval Training Academy, five women signed up for a rigorous three-year training programme,' she said. If successful, they could be among the first female electric ferry operators in the world — joining the ranks of a single known pilot in Venice. 'It just shows how deep the barriers are, and how long the pipeline has to be,' said Khanna. Mukta Naik, fellow at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), echoed these concerns and highlighted efforts to correct course. 'Government initiatives are starting to look at gender equity in transport systems — from safe streets to inclusive infrastructure design,' she said. 'But we need to shift from intent to action, and from isolated efforts to systemic transformation.'
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pooja Bedi says she has ‘NO REGRETS': 'Making mistakes is part of being human..I call them experiences'
Bollywood's one of the most loved and beautiful stars, Pooja Bedi , recently turned a year older. And the years seem to have only added more wisdom to her life's journey. Reflecting on the same, in an exclusive interview with us, Pooja shared, 'The life-o-meter is tick tick ticking and every birthday is a reminder that I have more years behind me than ahead of me and I have to live my dreams.' Though they say time stops for one, this diva has mastered the art of pausing the aging process. Speaking about the secret that keeps her young, the veteran actress mentioned, 'I have a company that's focused on bringing the eight pillars of wellness into everyone's lives: mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, environmental, sexual, financial, and social. Workouts and healthy foods for physical fitness are as important to me as butter chicken and laughter are for mental wellness.' Pooja Bedi has NO REGRETS When questioned about any regrets in all these beautiful years, Pooja said, 'Making mistakes is part of being human. I don't call them mistakes. I call them experiences to learn and grow from. There are absolutely no regrets. It's one life, and it has to be a full and happy one.' Pooja Bedi on parenting Pooja Bedi is one of the entertainment industry's stars who raised her kids as a single parent. When asked to share how the entire journey had been, she hilariously replied, 'Though I'm a single mother, my kids are now grown adults at 25 and 27 years of age and very much their own individuals. I love being needed by them. But there's less and less of that and more of me needing them now.' Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo However, she did share with us the biggest takeaway from the parenting diary of her mother Protima Bedi and said, 'The greatest learning from my mom that I have carried forward is that the importance and value of parenting is in not being needed — to empower our children to be resilient, capable, and caring for themselves as well as others.' Last but not least, speaking about her childhood memories, the actress used the words - 'unmatchable, crazy, happy, fun, and loving.' 'Growing up memories with my mom are what have created a blanket of memories that keep me warm and cocooned... and I seek to do the same with my kids. Ships are safe in harbours. But that's not why ships were built. Same with the human journey. Much to explore, understand, stand up for, stand up against, challenge, experience, and rejoice about,' she concluded. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
