New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) From former roadways bus drivers to those who haven’t driven a four-wheeler before, the Delhi Transport Corporation’s first batch of 11 women drivers have varied profiles but a unanimous opinion that public transport will become safer with more women joining it.
Kiran (23), one of the 11 bus drivers who were handed over appointment letters by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Tuesday, said she is looking forward to driving on the roads of the national capital.
“It is a proud moment for me that I will be driving in Delhi, but it will take me at least two days to learn the routes,” she told PTI.
Asked about the notion that women are not good drivers, Kiran said, “If women are given opportunities, they will prove this wrong. With more women joining, public transport will become the preferred mode of transportation for women.” Kiran has never driven a four-wheeler before but was confident that she will be able to drive a bus. She filled the form for training as a bus driver in February.
“My parents were extremely supportive of my decision and encouraged me over the phone while I was training here,” she added.
Nitu Devi (25), a former Haryana Roadways driver from Hisar, also said that women commuters will feel safe if they see a woman driver.
On the difference between driving in Haryana and Delhi, she said, “In Haryana, you find traffic only on main city roads and driving on other roads is smooth. On the other hand, Delhi roads have too much traffic.” Seema from Delhi said she faced some opposition from her husband when she told him that she wanted to quit her job as a taxi driver with a private firm and become a bus driver.
“I was working as a driver with a private firm and my job involved ferrying passengers from the airport to their destination. When I filled the form for bus driving training, my husband opposed it, but my children convinced him. Whenever I felt demotivated, my children cheered me up,” she said.
Komal, 23, said the newly inducted women drivers started driving two-three days back and people get a little surprised when they see a woman behind the wheel.
“Many a times passengers say ‘bhaiya gaadi rokna’. Then the conductor tells them ‘yeh bhaiya nahi, didi hain’. They then say that they didn’t realise that a woman was driving the bus,” said Komal, who has been posted at the Sarojini Nagar depot and is pursuing her masters degree through correspondence from Rajasthan.
Also among the first batch of women drivers are Sharmila, a 35-year-old mother of two and a former Haryana Roadways driver, and Babita Das from Haryana. PTI SLB DIV DIV
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