By Our Reporter
Shillong: The much hyped women only taxis launched by the State Government with much fanfare some months back has failed to take off with only three women drivers plying their taxis on the city roads.
The Regional Transport Authority (RTA), which till recently, had claimed that there was significant response to these women-only taxis, has now, admitted that there is lack of response from women towards the initiative.
The Government had allotted 200 permits – 100 for the Shillong region to be driven exclusively by women and another 100 for rural areas – but the much-publicised plan has failed to generate enough response from women. The white vehicles with pink tops were meant for ferrying passengers within the city limits, while those with green tops were meant to cater to the rural areas.
After months of observation, the RTA has finally decided to hand over the permits for these taxis to male drivers.
Confirming this, RTA Chairman Jopthiaw Lyngdoh on Sunday said the transport authority was left with no alternative but to allow male drivers to operate these taxis provided the rules prescribed under the scheme was adhered to.
“The motive of introducing these women-only taxis for the benefit of women and children would remain the same but now male drivers would be driving instead of women, though we would have preferred women to come forward and grab the opportunity,” Lyngdoh said, adding that the latest decision was taken at a recent meeting called by the RTA.
Meanwhile, voicing out an opinion on this unsuccessful move, a local taxi driver said “How can the women drive a local taxi when they are allowed to carry only women and children. We carry both men and women and still we cannot benefit from it with the price of petrol on the rise.”
The state government has issued upto 200 permits for the ‘women taxi’-100 for the Shillong area having an appearance of pink and white stripes and 100 for the rural areas with green and white stripes look but this initiative has failed as no women has come forward to drive.
