The auto-rickshaw drivers say that the commuters are usually in a hurry to reach their destination, and do not like to wait for other women to occupy the vacant seats.
Within a fortnight of the launch of the sharing auto-rickshaw service reserved for women commuters at Bandra and Kurla railway station, it seems that the women commuters around the area are not very much interested in the service. The service was launched by Shiv Sena’s transport wing, Shiv Vahtuk Sena on January 1, so that women around Bandra Kurla Complex area (BKC) areas commute safely.
However, the initiative has not gained much popularity about the women here as they refuse to waste time, waiting for female co-passengers to occupy the vehicle. The auto-rickshaw drivers say that the commuters are usually in a hurry to reach their destination, and do not like to wait for other women to occupy the vacant seats. So they often tell ask the rickshaws to let men share the auto-rickshaw with them, which completely defeats the purpose of reserving a fleet of vehicles just for women.
The female commuters around this area did admit to the fact that their priority is to reach their destination in time, considering the fact that the share auto-rickshaw drivers end up making them wait for a long time until all seats are occupied by females which often wastes their much time. The women commuters while appreciating the initiative said that the service needs to be more organised and practical.
Sharif Deshmukh, spokesperson, Shiv Vahatuk Sena, said, "Our motive was to ensure the safety of women, but they do not seem to mind male commuters sharing the auto-rickshaw with them. We cannot force anyone, it is for their own safety that we have provided this service and it is up to them to make the best use of it.”
For the longer version of this report, click here
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