On Monday, Delhi Lt. Governor V K Saxena announced the start of a training programme for 50 female cab drivers in an effort to boost the proportion of female drivers in the city's public transportation system. The LG also signalled the departure of 40 electric taxis driven by women. At the occasion conducted at the Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) in Sarai Kale Khan, key authorities like East Delhi BJP MP Gautam Gambhir, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, and others were in attendance.
The move, according to an official statement, is intended to increase the proportion of women drivers in Delhi's public transportation sector and to ensure the safety of female passengers.
Saxena also administered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five vows (Panch Pran) for 2047, according to the statement: creating a developed India, getting rid of all signs of servitude, taking pride in our rich heritage, working together to uplift the country, and performing our civic duties.
According to Saxena, the prime minister's demand for women's empowerment, which was also mentioned in his Independence Day address, was in line with the skill-building of female drivers in the area of driving. According to Saxena, the concept of independence would be lacking without women's "economic freedom" and self-reliance. "This driving skill training programme for women drivers would open up new employment avenues for women and make them self-reliant. I am hopeful that the public transport sector in Delhi will have 50 percent of women drivers in coming years," Saxena said.
The LG praised electric car fleet manager Blu Smart for hiring female drivers, saying that while these vehicles would help conserve the environment, the female cab drivers would assure the safety of female passengers. In order to participate in this programme, women can either register themselves with the transportation department or be recruited by private cab aggregators.
According to the statement, IDTR offers free training to all female drivers, and the Transport Department and Aggregators will split the cost of the instruction 50/50.
The fleets of the aggregators that have funded the trained female drivers will accept them. According to this project, 1,000 women will receive training and be guaranteed employment over the course of the following year.
