Women’s safety in building plans a must, say experts

New Delhi
The horrific rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata on August 9 inside a hospital seminar hall — a space that is expected to be safe — has shocked the nation, once again highlighting a stark and often overlooked reality: despite growing discussions about women’s safety, many public spaces and buildings in cities fail to address their specific needs and vulnerabilities.
In India, urban planning and building design have historically prioritised functionality, aesthetics and economic considerations while giving little or no attention to women’s safety. Building codes and safety regulations mainly focus on fire safety, structural integrity and emergency evacuations, without explicitly mandating design elements and safety features that specifically address women’s safety.
Many public and private buildings, as well as urban spaces, remain hazardous for women, especially areas, such as basements, staircases, elevators and secluded corridors. “Indeed, women’s safety in urban environments has not always been at the forefront of design thinking, leading to public spaces, transportation hubs and residential areas that do not fully cater to their specific needs,” said Dikshu Kukreja, principal architect, CP Kukreja Architects.
Experts said many buildings lack crucial design elements that ensure women’s safety, such as transparency, visibility and adequate lighting. Poorly designed and dimly lit areas — staircases, corridors and basement parking lots, among others — often create unsafe conditions. Restrooms are frequently tucked away in isolated or hidden spots, while entry and exit points are not strategically positioned for easy access. Additionally, enclosed or blind spots in corridors, staircases and elevators limit visibility and natural surveillance. The absence of glass walls, open layouts and sufficient lighting further reduces transparency, increasing the potential crime risk.
“Natural surveillance is a key element in ensuring the safety of women in built environments. Designing spaces with clear sight lines and multiple vantage points makes activities within a building easily observable, enhancing safety through greater oversight,” Kukreja said.
Meetu Mathur, director, GPM Architects & Planners, concurred. “In India, there is often a tendency to minimise common areas, such as corridors and lift lobbies, to save costs. However, corridors should be wide enough for at least three people to pass, which is crucial if a woman needs to escape in case of an assault,” Mathur said.
“Light-coloured materials should be used to enhance illumination, even in dimly lit areas. Special attention should be given to the design of toilets — they should never open directly into corridors,” she said.
Goonmeet Singh, co-founder of Design Forum International (DFI), said that one of the most effective ways to enhance women’s safety in buildings is by maximising visibility. He emphasised on transparent design elements, such as glass walls and open layouts, saying they could greatly reduce the number of concealed or isolated areas that could potentially harbour threats.
“Particular attention must be given to the design and surveillance of areas where women often feel most vulnerable, such as elevators, staircases and toilet corridors. Elevators should have transparent doors or walls to allow visibility from the outside. I’ve noticed that in many public buildings, transparency is compromised by covering glass walls with advertisements, which should be avoided to maintain clear sight lines and enhance safety,” he said.
Vipul B. Varshney, co-founder and principal architect at Sthapathi Associates, said basement parking areas are among the most unsafe places in buildings, including hospitals. “Many hospitals illegally convert parts of these parking spaces into facilities like OPDs, which often have dead walls and lack natural light, creating a sense of isolation and making the environment potentially unsafe. Besides, in hospitals, doctors’ restrooms should be neither too close nor too far from public areas; they must be strategically located to prevent unauthorised access and intrusion. While some new hospitals are beginning to adopt these measures, consistent enforcement is needed to ensure safety,” she said.
The National Building Code, she pointed out, provided only broad guidelines, and called for mandatory standards regarding building features. “There should be gender-responsive planning guidelines and women must be included in the planning and approval processes by being part of the committees at government agencies that pass building plans. Involving women ensures that their safety needs are considered at every stage of design and implementation,” Varshney said.
Leveraging advanced surveillance technologies
AI-based surveillance, according to experts, should complement gender-sensitive architecture to ensure the safety of women in built environments. Buildings should be equipped with high-resolution CCTV cameras and robust data storage systems capable of recording and analysing footage in real-time. For instance, AI-driven video analytics can detect unusual behaviour patterns, such as loitering in secluded areas, and automatically alert security personnel. These technologies are especially effective in vulnerable spaces, such as elevators and stairwells, where women are often at risk.
“While CCTV cameras are now ubiquitous, humans are susceptible to ‘video blindness,’ a psychological limitation. In command centres, where security staff monitor multiple screens and incidents are rare, alertness tends to drop after about 26 minutes, leading to missed incidents. AI-based video and audio analytics can, in such situations, detect complex behaviours. It can send real-time alerts to security teams or law enforcement in case of abusive actions towards women or an SOS. Similarly, AI systems using microphone arrays can detect distress and suspicious sounds, adding another layer of safety. I am sure these technologies will become common in the near future,” said Abhijit Shanbhag, CEO and founder, Greymatics, a cognitive multimedia analytics company.
Kalpana Viswanath, co-founder of Safetipin, an organisation dedicated to making cities safer for women, emphasises the need for both physical security features and effective reporting and response mechanisms inside buildings. “Alarm systems should be strategically placed and directly alert security personnel, not maintenance staff. Private security personnel must be better trained to recognise and respond to harassment and threats. Increasing the number of well-trained female guards can also enhance safety. Besides, regular safety audits are essential to ensure buildings meet safety standards and to identify any security gaps,” she said.
Advocating for a paradigm shift in building design
Countries such as Sweden and Australia, among others, have integrated gender-sensitive design into their urban planning and building regulations. Many believe that a paradigm shift is needed in building design and that India can take inspiration from these examples and create a legal framework requiring new public and commercial buildings to incorporate safety features aimed at protecting women. “The architecture of our buildings is commercially driven, and there is a need to re-evaluate it to ensure women’s safety,” Viswanath said.
Meetu Mathur said that the responsibility to ensure building safety falls on all stakeholders — architects, planners, urban authorities, real estate companies and civic agencies. “Women’s safety should now be a parameter in the green certification of buildings,” she said.
Kukreja said that the focus is gradually shifting towards a more holistic approach, where women’s safety is seen as an integral part of urban planning and building design. “Architects can collaborate with urban planners, sociologists and law enforcement to understand the unique challenges women face in public and private spaces. This multidisciplinary approach enables the creation of environments that promote not just physical safety but also a sense of comfort and belonging. By prioritising these elements in design, architecture can play a significant role in creating built environments where women feel safe, empowered and fully integrated into the urban fabric.”