NDMC plans all-women cab service

Civic body to launch a fleet of 20 taxis initially

The NDMC is now set to launch an all-women cab service in its area. The project, which will be named “Shakti”, will employ around 20 women drivers.

This comes at a time when the transport system in Delhi has come under scanner with rising number of crimes against women in buses and taxis.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had initially decided to launch the fleet on March 8, which is observed as International Women’s Day. However, the plan was deferred as the council could not manage to work out the details of the project, said a senior NDMC official.

Meanwhile, the buses ferrying children to the NDMC schools will have women drivers too.
The women drivers with commercial licences have been already identified. With children being easy targets of molestation for bus drivers or conductors, the council sees it as a move to secure protection for them.

The cab services, however, will be launched in about a month on a pliot basis. Once the council runs a feasibility check, it will be considered as a long-term project.

The cabs will mostly ply in central Delhi areas the NDMC jurisdiction. However, they will drop passengers to railway stations and airports.   

Initially, the council will launch a fleet of 20 cabs. The NDMC will operate the vehicles and the there is no indication of involvement of an NGO or a third party at this stage. The civic body is planning to tie up with Maruti Suzuki for procuring the cabs.

“Currently, we are talking to the transport department to give us permission to run 20 taxis. It is mandatory to own 100 vehicles in a venture like this, said Jalaj Shrivastava, Chairperson, NDMC.

“However, we will not be able to manage the funds for as many vehicles as 100. It will be started as a pilot project for now,” the Chairperson said.

The NDMC will recruit women cab drivers from the technical institute run by it. “Mobilising women drivers to join the service will not be difficult. Those skilled in driving would be happy to join the civic-body-run cab services,” said Shrivastava.

The council is likely to fix the tariff at Delhi transport department rates. The council also runs a call centre which will take bookings.

Recently, Meru Cabs had launched an all-women fleet called MeruEve in the city.