Looking at the growing cases of harassment faced by women in taxis, the West Bengal transport department will soon introduce pink taxis, which will be driven by women in Kolkata.
Sources said that a final meeting regarding the project was due and a green signal by the end of this month is possible. The state government will be putting an advertisement in this regard and women with a driving licence will be allowed to apply for permits for the pink cabs.
Along with the security of women, the project aims to help women become financially independent. Sources also said that so far, the enthusiasm among women regarding the pink cabs has been phenomenal and that issuing of permits for the cabs will begin by the end of January.
These pink cabs will have a GPS tracking system and the provision for a panic button to be used during emergencies. The bonnet, top and the sides of windows of the cabs will be pink in colour and the rest will be white. Women drivers of the car will also have a special uniform. Women who apply for permits to operate these taxis will either have to drive the vehicles themselves or appoint other women drivers. These vehicles will have only women drivers and they will have the discretion to decide if they want to pick up male passengers.
The state transport department, through its Gatidhara scheme, has helped unemployed youth earn a living by operating app-based cabs. "Women, if they fulfil all conditions, can use the vehicles as normal taxis or luxury cabs, according to their wish," said an official of the transport department.
Officials of different taxi associations welcomed the move. "It is a good initiative. We had proposed something like this sometime back. It will be good for the security of women passengers. But the department must look into the security of the women drivers of the pink cabs as well," said Bimal Guha, general secretary of the Bengal Taxi Association.
Others are of the opinion that the move will increase competition in the market and as a result, consumers will ultimately be benefitted.
Women commuters in general are glad about the initiative. Karuna Mishra, a resident of Salt Lake, said, "I have an ailing father-in-law who I often have to take to hospitals off EM Bypass. I had heard pink cabs had been introduced in Bangalore. It will definitely be good for people for people like me if they come to Kolkata."
Anamika Mukherjee, a south-Kolkata resident, said, "I often return late from office and my parents get very anxious about my safety. Pink cabs will definitely be safer for me," she said.
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 "Pink Taxi")
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