Bombay High Court green signal to women-driven cabs for lady passengers

Encouraging women, who work till odd hours in the night, to use cab services driven by women drivers is the first step to ensure safety of women, the Bombay High Court said on Tuesday while hearing a petition by Stri Shakti Kendra, a women’s cab service, which has a post at the international airport.

The court said that women passengers at airports or railway stations should be given the option and also encouraged to use such cabs.

The petition filed by the company states that despite their service being included in the ‘pre-paid’ category, women drivers do not get passengers as other taxi unions and touts take passengers away.

Senior counsel, Dr Birendra Saraf, who appeared for MIAL, said “We’re not against the cab service...”

The court, while adjourning the petition for hearing on December 17, said it would streamline the process and may even consider allowing woman cab service outside railway stations. The court directed the authorities to file their replies.