Tuesday, 05 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Transport department will help the women who want to be cab drivers in the Dehradun district. This initiative will help in increasing the ratio of female drivers in the public transport sector besides opening up new employment opportunities for them, said the regional transport officer (Administration) of the Dehradun division Sunil Sharma. He said that there is a certain section of young women tourists and working women who feel more comfortable with female cab drivers, especially during the night. There is certainly a demand for female cab drivers considering that the department thought of taking an initiative in which it will guide such women who are interested in becoming cab drivers.
On the question of how women can get started with this plan, he said, “The women interested in becoming a cab driver can approach a Dehradun based NGO named Saheli which is helping such women get the necessary help to become a cab driver.” Sharma also stated that the women can also approach the department if they need guidance in entering this field but it does not have any budget to provide any kind of financial aid to such women.
However the regional transport office will provide them with driving skill training after they complete the necessary process to drive a cab like valid documents and licences, said Sharma. “We will also help them to work in coordination with taxi unions of respective areas where the female cab drivers will operate. If a female cab driver would like to operate on the Dehradun- Mussoorie route, we will help her to understand how everything works besides helping her to coordinate with the unions concerned to ensure she can work efficiently without any hindrance,” he added.
He said that this initiative has the potential to provide employment opportunities to women and make them self reliant. Initially, the department has enrolled 15 women for the driving skill training and this number is expected to increase in the near future, added Sharma.
