Agra: Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission chief Babita Chauhan has suggested all passenger vehicles operated either by private players or cab aggregators like Ola and Uber should display their drivers’ details such as names, mobile numbers and identity card information on the back of the car seats for the safety of women passengers.
This comes months after her proposal, that male tailors should not be allowed to take measurements of women and male gym or yoga trainers should not train women, sparked controversy.
Chauhan said she has now written to the state’s Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh demanding that vehicles operating in the state either through private players or through aggregators like Ola and Uber should clearly paste the full details of the driver—such as their names, mobile numbers, permanent addresses, identity card information and the contact number of the nearest police station—on the rear side of the driver’s seat so it is visible to passengers at all times.
“When a woman sits in a cab or an auto, she has the right to know who is driving the vehicle, and whom she should contact if she has any problem. By getting this information, women will feel more secure and will be able to travel with confidence,” Babita Chauhan said Tuesday after a ‘jan sunwai’ programme at the Circuit House in Agra.
She also said this suggestion is not the result of any theory or paper discussion, but a decision taken after an uncomfortable situation experienced by a woman during a Varanasi tour. “This rule existed earlier, but now it will be strictly monitored and enforced,” she said, adding that the women’s commission will monitor it seriously.
Speaking to ThePrint, Babita Chauhan said the proposal has now been sent to the police and transport departments for review, and comprehensive guidelines related to it will likely be issued soon.
If this is implemented in coordination between the state government, the women commission and the transport department, it can become a model for other states of the country, she added.
Safety vs privacy
While this proposal has been appreciated by many social activists and women’s organisations, legal experts have also pointed out some practical challenges regarding its implementation.
Senior advocate Mukul Kumar said, “This is a commendable and timely initiative that takes the sense of insecurity among women passengers seriously.” But he insisted some technical and legal aspects related to it need to be taken care of.
“App-based services like Ola and Uber already have safety features like the SOS button, full driver information, vehicle number, real-time tracking and trip-sharing. Women can already share this information with their family members,” he said.
Kumar also expressed concern that permanently pasting the driver’s full address and identity card information inside the vehicle could lead to problems like doxing, where someone can misuse this personal information.
“While keeping women’s safety paramount, it is also important that we protect the privacy rights of drivers. Just because someone is in public service does not mean that all their personal information should also be publicly available,” he said.
He suggested this information should be available in digital form with the transport department and police, which can be accessed by passengers or officials, if needed.
He also suggested the use of a standalone ‘Panic Button’ app that could link to the nearest police station or 1090 helpline in the event of distress. “While this will ensure the safety of the female passengers, it will also protect the privacy rights of the drivers,” he said.
Largely, though, this initiative is being seen as a strong step towards making public transport women-friendly in the state.
Social activist Rajkumar Nagrath said if implemented in a balanced manner, this step will not only boost the confidence of women passengers but also fix accountability of transport providers and drivers.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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