--- title: "Lessons from India’s Safest Cities on Women's Safety" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-safest-cities-womens-safety-ier2p publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Society published: 2026-09-03T11:00:36.054Z modified: 2026-09-03T13:30:03.444Z language: en-IN --- # Lessons from India’s Safest Cities on Women's Safety India's NARI 2025 index surveyed 12,770 women across 31 cities, yielding safety scores and patterns. Kohima led with 82.9%, while the national average was 65%; several Northeast cities highlighted community-driven safety and governance. ## Key takeaways - The NARI 2025 index is India's nationwide measure of women's perceived safety, released in August 2025. - Kohima led with a safety score of 82.9%, well above the national average of 65%. - Aizawl, Gangtok, and Itanagar are among the top cities in the Northeast, illustrating governance and community trust as factors. - Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar are highlighted for integrating strong infrastructure with responsive policing. - Mumbai is noted for proactive policing, safer late-night transit, and workplace safety policies within the top seven. ## What Happened The Better India reports on India’s National Commission for Women's NARI 2025 index, released in August 2025, described as the first national measure of women’s perceived safety in public spaces. The index surveyed 12,770 women across 31 cities to assess everyday safety experiences in neighbourhoods, buses, workplaces, and after dark. Key findings show Kohima topping the index with an 82.9% safety score, markedly above the national average of 65%. Aizawl is noted as ranked fourth, with the Northeast region contributing several of the safest cities. Gangtok ranks fifth with a 70.4% score. Itanagar is highlighted for inclusive local governance and women’s collectives. Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar are recognized for a combination of strong infrastructure and responsive policing. Mumbai, while a major metropolis, also features in the top seven due to proactive policing, safer late-night public transport, and workplace safety policies. The report emphasizes that safety improvements stem from social trust, active neighbourhood networks, and governance practices that involve women in decision-making rather than relying solely on physical infrastructure or policing. ## Why It Matters The index signals a shift from crime statistics toward people-centered measures of safety, suggesting that social cohesion and accountable governance can shape how safe women feel in public spaces. The findings imply that cities combining community engagement with reliable institutions tend to produce better perceived safety outcomes, offering a potential model for other urban areas in the country. ## Background The NARI 2025 index was developed to capture aspects of safety not reflected in traditional crime data. It measures women’s perceptions of safety across daily contexts such as neighbourhood interactions, transit, and after-dark scenarios. The publication notes several cities in the Northeast as leading examples of governance approaches that involve women and ensure responsiveness to concerns raised by residents. ## Key Facts - The NARI 2025 index was released in August 2025 and is described as India’s first national measure of women’s perceived safety. - Survey scope: 12,770 women across 31 cities. - Kohima scored 82.9% safety, the highest in the index. - The national average safety score reported by the index is 65%. - Aizawl ranked fourth; Gangtok ranked fifth with a 70.4% score. - Itanagar’s strength lies in inclusive local governance and women’s collectives. - Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar were highlighted for combining infrastructure with proactive policing and planning. - Mumbai is noted as a major city in the top seven, with proactive policing, safer late-night transport, and workplace safety policies. ## What Happens Next The report discusses lessons for other cities on how to adapt governance structures and social practices to improve perceived safety for women, pointing to community networks and accountable local institutions as critical components. Specific policy steps or timelines beyond the index findings are not detailed in the source material. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-safest-cities-womens-safety-ier2p Reported from: Multiple Sources