Auto drivers' bid to make roads safer for commuters

RANCHI: Auto drivers in Ranchi on Friday launched a campaign to make women commuters feel safe while travelling in their vehicles. They pasted posters in three-wheelers running on all routes giving contact details of the association members who can be of help to a traveller facing harassment.
Jharkhand Pradesh Diesel Auto Chalak Mahasangh president Mantu Lala said the incident like Delhi (gang rape) happened in every state and city."There have been many cases of rape and eve-teasing in autos because of which women feel unsafe while travelling. We want to send a message to all women that they can travel safely and for any help can call up on any of these numbers," he added.
The numbers of some of the mahasangh members pasted in the autos included Mantu Lala's 9386505378 and vice-president Arjun Yadav's 9386505378. "We also respect women and women should feel safe while travelling in an auto" is the slogan pasted along with the numbers to create awareness among the drivers to respect the fairer sex and help them in need.
The drivers' body also issued some guidelines to its members. "The drivers shouldn't play music, should always wear uniform and carry licences while driving and the commuters should note down the registration number of the auto. The owners should have the name and address of the drivers. Whenever a woman commuter faces any incident, she should lodge a complaint with the details of the driver and the registration number of the auto. We will try to contact police and give the details so that police can take immediate action. If the driver is involved (in the incident), his permit will be cancelled," said mahasangh vice-president Arjun Yadav.
He also said they were in touch with the traffic police to assign a number which a women commuter can directly call to seek any kind of help. "This is a good effort and we will definitely help a woman who is in need and keep a check on rogue elements. Reserving the seats especially for the women is little difficult as most of the passengers are men," said Rahul Gupta, an auto driver on the Dhurwa-Kuchtery Chowk route.
Mandal Kumar, another auto driver, said, "These incidents have created a sense of responsibility in us where we need to be alert and come forward for the help of women in such situations."
Women commuters are also happy but bit apprehensive till the system works properly. "The effort is to be appreciated. Many times it's the drivers who are in connivance with such (rogue) elements in the auto. This type of awareness has become the need of the hour. We, the college students, travel most of the time by auto and cases of eve-teasing do take place when the passengers are fewer. If the auto drivers become responsible, such cases can be avoided," said Anamika Singh, a BCom student of Women's College. However, Sushmita Shrivastav, a mother of two, is bit apprehensive till the system works properly. "Usually my husband drops the girls to schools but at times they do travel by auto for their tuitions. It's a good effort provided it works properly," she said.