Lifestyle /
Women Hit The Road In Mumbai On Pink Autorickshaws
Mumbai is about to get pretty in pink, and that's just what the city needs!
Fed up with being groped and harassed by male auto rickshaw drivers, a Pakistani environmentalist launched her own service exclusively for women passengers and drivers in her home city of Lahore in April 2015.
Mumbai will soon follow in these footsteps as the city gets ready for auto rickshaws driven by women to serve female passengers!
Over 450 women drivers have won permits for the pink auto rickshaw service, which is set to start by the end of February. The auto rickshaws have to carry women and their families, but there's no rule against carrying male passengers also, according to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority.
Photo Credit: www.cosmopolitan.com
The city already has an exclusive women-only taxi service. But there's a limited number of these taxis, and most of them operate near airports and luxury hotels. This doesn't make for an easy option for many women commuters. This new auto service will be more affordable and available almost everywhere!
Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote told the Times of India, "The colour will enable commuters to make out that the rickshaw is being driven by a woman and can hail one down if she feels safer to travel in it. But at the same time we are not making any different rules for these women drivers. They will be treated at par with the men drivers."
Photo Credit: www.enlightening.in
The government is welcoming more applications from women for the rickshaws, as there are still 1,316 permits unallotted remaining. While this is a positive step, there's a little bit of a catch. There are certain rules for female applicants. They have to show that they've lived in Maharashtra for at least 15 years, and they have to be fluent in speaking Marathi. It's not necessary for applicants to have any educational qualifications.
Shobha Halmukh, one license winner, told the Times of India, "I stay with my parents and always wanted to be self-employed. Being an auto driver will help me travel places and provide a sense of security to women."
This initiative was sparked after the Delhi gang-rape of 2012. These auto rickshaws are meant to protect women commuters from sexual harassment as well as provide jobs.
What do you think about Mumbai's pink auto rickshaw? Let us know in the comments down below!
Main Image Photo Credit: www.eastcoastdaily.in
Rana Dakakni
Author
Rana is a Journalism graduate from London, Ontario. She is proudly Palestinian but has always had a ever-growing fascination with South Asian culture and her vast knowledge of Bollywood surprises many. She is an eyebrow master and lipstick connoisseur, shameless owner of 200 mauve l...
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