Vinutha, a disabled person in her thirties, has been driving an auto for the past two years for a living. A former employee at a garment factory, she chose to drive auto as a profession for the love of driving. But the experience has not always been pleasant.
“There have been times when male passengers misbehaved with me,” said Vinutha, who expressed joy at being a part of Sakhi, a newly launched aggregator which offers auto rides by women, for women.
Sakhi launched its service in Bengaluru on February 14. It has so far onboarded 50 autos, all driven by women drivers. Launched with the aim of making auto-rides more comfortable and stress-free for women, the platform takes orders only from women passengers.
A stress-free alternative
“There are many instances where I have come back home late – sometimes while doing my internship, other times after meeting friends. I always take an auto and nothing untoward has happened so far, but there is always stress and a sense of caution at the back of my mind. I always make sure someone from my family or friends tracks my live location in such instances,” said Amruta P., a law student from Bengaluru.
