📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Jobs & Career
RBI Report: High Transport Costs Hinder Women's Employment in India
✍️ Amar Ujala
🗓 30 Oct 2026, 06:54 AM
👁 1
A recent Reserve Bank of India report reveals that expensive public transport forces working women to choose between employment and commuting costs, creating significant barriers to their workforce participation.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has highlighted a critical structural barrier affecting women's employment in the country. A recent report indicates that the high cost of public transportation is a significant deterrent for women seeking to join or remain in the workforce.
According to the findings, many working women are forced to make difficult choices between their job and the financial burden of commuting. The report suggests that when transport costs are high relative to wages, women are more likely to drop out of employment or avoid jobs that require long or expensive commutes.
This 'commuting barrier' is identified as a key factor in the gender gap in labor force participation in India. The RBI notes that affordable and reliable transport infrastructure is essential for enabling women to access employment opportunities, particularly in urban areas where distances can be significant.
The report underscores the need for policy interventions aimed at reducing the cost of public transport or improving its accessibility. By addressing this specific economic hurdle, policymakers could potentially unlock greater participation of women in the formal and informal sectors.
According to the findings, many working women are forced to make difficult choices between their job and the financial burden of commuting. The report suggests that when transport costs are high relative to wages, women are more likely to drop out of employment or avoid jobs that require long or expensive commutes.
This 'commuting barrier' is identified as a key factor in the gender gap in labor force participation in India. The RBI notes that affordable and reliable transport infrastructure is essential for enabling women to access employment opportunities, particularly in urban areas where distances can be significant.
The report underscores the need for policy interventions aimed at reducing the cost of public transport or improving its accessibility. By addressing this specific economic hurdle, policymakers could potentially unlock greater participation of women in the formal and informal sectors.