The Kolkata Traffic Police is initiating a gender sensitization programme for cab and taxi drivers in the city to ensure that women passengers can securely journey in app-based cabs and taxis at night. From Tuesday, officials from Kolkata Traffic Police's South East Guard would implement the project.
The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Kolkata Police Training Academy and Kolkata Traffic Police officials, who will train drivers of app-based cabs, taxis, and autorickshaws on how to treat female passengers responsibly, particularly at night.
Several incidences of cab drivers misbehaving with female passengers or harassing them have occurred in the city in the past, and this effort intends to reverse that. According to a senior police official, “in the past couple of years, we have witnessed several incidents of app-cab drivers misbehaving with women passengers. There are incidents of women being harassed by cab drivers. So, to ensure that the city is safe for women commuters, we will be starting the training programme from the South East Traffic Guard”
The Kolkata Traffic Police will conduct similar training programmes at other traffic guards if this programme is completed successfully, according to the officer.
After training the app-cab drivers, the officers plan to train bus conductors, and the drivers will be awarded a diploma at the end of the course. They will also be given a sticker that says "This Car Respects Women," which they must place on the windshield of their cars. The initiative's main goal is to reduce the amount of crimes committed against female passengers in the city.
