Bhalerao (41) has always cherished the dream of owning a rickshaw someday, and on Monday that dream came true when she bought a freshly-painted pink rickshaw.
It is a dream come true for Anamika Bhalerao, Thane's first woman rickshaw driver, who will finally drive her own rickshaw. And this is no ordinary vehicle either, as it is equipped with facilities such as wi-fi, newspapers and beverages.
Bhalerao (41) has always cherished the dream of owning a rickshaw someday, and on Monday that dream came true when she bought a freshly-painted pink rickshaw.
The vehicle is as comfortable as one can hope for it to be. It has a wi-fi connection, newspapers to read, tea/coffee flask, water bottle, first aid box, etc. And all this is available to passengers free of charge. "I thought of all this since I wanted to offer some service to the passengers who board my auto," she said.
She learnt to drive an auto rickshaw from her husband Avinash, who is a rickshaw driver himself. "I saw women driving two- and four-wheelers and thought why don't I drive as well and hence took driving lessons from my husband four years ago," she said. And in a bid to build a better future for her family, she later turned this hobby into a profession.
"I have two sons and thought that if I too earn and make some money, my family will be provided with additional financial support," Bhalerao said. But before taking up this unconventional occupation, she consulted her relatives, including her in-laws, for their suggestions. "All of them were quite supportive and said that today women fly planes and have reached the moon. So why can't I drive an autorickshaw?" she said.
This green signal from her family gave her the confidence to go ahead with her vocation. And starting from 2014, she has been driving an autorickshaw. It was two months ago that she received her rickshaw permit from the Thane regional transport office. Even the act of getting the permit was like a dream come true for her as she had failed her SSC exams. According to rules, only women who have passed their 10th standard exams can get permits. But this rule was recently modified to accommodate women drivers who are class VIII pass. "This will benefit women like me who want to take up driving as a profession and not just take a permit and sell it to others," Bhalerao said.
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 "Anamika Bhalerao")
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