i actually think it's safer for a female on the bus here than in a taxi, either private or karwa.

in a taxi you're alone with a driver and you are at his mercy. if you are not familiar with your destination he can take you anywhere he wanted to. buses have fixed routes and there are always people around. women are given priority in the front rows so i always get to sit near the door. karwa bus drivers don't rip off their passengers unlike the taxi drivers. much cheaper too.

i used to take the buses bound for the industrial area because i lived along their route. yes, the laborers do stare but that's all that ever happens. i get verbally harassed by taxi drivers sometimes. even if i sit at the back all the time it's scary because there are just the two of us inside the vehicle. i've had regular private drivers who are actually nice guys at first, probably in general, but they eventually have 'intentions'