Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar and Mumbai have emerged as the safest cities in India for women, while Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar and Ranchi occupy the lowest ranks, according to the National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025.
The report, released on Thursday, surveyed 12,770 women across 31 cities and set the national safety benchmark at 65 per cent, categorising urban centres as “much above,” “above,” “at,” “below” or “much below” this standard.
Top-ranked cities were linked to stronger gender equity, civic engagement, policing, and women-friendly infrastructure, whereas poorly performing cities reflected weak institutional responsiveness, entrenched patriarchal norms, and infrastructural gaps.
"Kohima, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, Mumbai lead national safety rankings, often correlating with higher gender equity, infrastructure, policing, or civic participation while Ranchi, Srinagar, Kolkata, Delhi, Faridabad, Patna, and Jaipur scored lowest, correlating with poorer infrastructure, patriarchal norms, or weaker institutional responsiveness," the report stated.
The survey found that six in ten women felt “safe” in their city, leaving 40 per cent reporting themselves as “not so safe” or “unsafe.” Concerns were particularly pronounced at night, in public transport, and in recreational spaces, despite educational institutions being largely safe during daylight hours.
Safety in the workplace remained inconsistent. Around 91 per cent of women reported feeling safe, yet nearly half were unsure if their workplace had an effective POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) policy. Only one-fourth trusted authorities to act effectively on safety complaints.
The study also highlighted the prevalence of harassment: seven per cent of women experienced harassment in public spaces in 2024, rising to 14 per cent among those under 24. Neighbourhoods (38 per cent) and public transport (29 per cent) were most frequently cited, although only a third of victims reported incidents.
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The report cautioned that official crime statistics alone fail to reflect women’s lived experiences. "Two out of three women do not report harassment, meaning NCRB misses the bulk of incidents," it said, urging integration of perception-based surveys like NARI with crime data.
National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, launching the report, stressed that safety affects “every aspect of a woman's life whether it is her education, health, work opportunities and freedom of movement”.
She added: “When women feel unsafe, they limit themselves, and women limiting themselves is not only for their own development, but also for the development of the country.” Rahatkar highlighted four dimensions of security—physical, psychological, financial, and digital—as essential for a developed and inclusive India.
The NCW chief applauded the increasing presence of women police officers and female drivers in public transport. “In many Union Territories, 33 per cent of police personnel are now women, and this has made a decisive difference in building trust,” she said.
She also praised safety initiatives such as women’s helplines, CCTV in smart cities, and enhanced safety networks at railway stations and bus depots, while urging society to take responsibility. “We often blame the system, but we must also ask what we have done. Whether it is using helplines, supporting awareness drives, or simply keeping public toilets clean, society's role is equally important,” Rahatkar added.
The NARI index has been developed by The NorthCap University and Jindal Global Law School and is published by the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA).
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