Women who took the Sakhi auto service during its pilot run in January have posted about their experiences on social media.
Credit: Sakhi
An auto service designed exclusively for women drivers and passengers will start operations in Bengaluru on February 14. The platform, called Sakhi, follows a ride-hailing model.
The service completed around 17 trips in a week during a pilot run in January. After the launch, it will initially operate from 6 am to midnight and may be extended to 24 hours if demand increases, says founder Krishnavi Parekh. The platform does not follow surge pricing. The minimum fare for the first two kilometres is Rs 50, followed by Rs 20 for each additional kilometre.
Krishnavi says the initiative aims to address the anxiety many women experience while using conventional transport, especially at night. The idea grew out of her own commuting experiences in Mumbai, while she was studying and later working there. “I was never comfortable sitting behind a man on a two-wheeler. I also felt unsafe when cab drivers asked me to come to locations other than the assigned pick-up point when I had to take a cab late at night,” says the 24-year-old entrepreneur, who moved to Bengaluru last August.
Conversations with other women revealed similar concerns and reinforced her belief that there was a need for a women-only transport service. The initiative has struck an emotional chord on social media, with users sharing heartwarming stories and photographs after travelling with women auto drivers.
Sakhi’s mobile app is currently under development. For now, the service operates through a web app and WhatsApp. It has 50 women drivers aged between 21 and 40, all with prior driving experience. At present, all earnings go directly to the drivers, though the platform may adopt a commission model in the future.
The drivers have undergone training in customer service and communication. She says many passengers have shared that being greeted by a woman auto driver feels especially welcoming.
The platform aims to build an inclusive ecosystem and plans to onboard trans women drivers in the future. “Sakhi is as much about driver empowerment as passenger safety,” she says. She recalls stories of women who took up driving after losing their spouse or who accept rides just to meet urgent financial needs. “That independence, that ability to rely on yourself, is inspiring,” says Krishnavi.
To book a ride, visit ride.sakhiwomen.in or WhatsApp 63619 33364.