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No takers for She Cabs
She Cabs, which were launched amid much fanfare in 2015, has become a big flop with only six cabs operating in the entire Hyderabad, when a target of 100 was set in the first year.
Hyderabad: She Cabs, which were launched amid much fanfare in 2015, has become a big flop with only six cabs operating in the entire Hyderabad, when a target of 100 was set in the first year.
The 24X7 She Cabs service was introduced by the Transport Department after studying the Gujarat and Rajasthan model. The scheme was aimed at providing transport services by women for women and male customers will be ferried only if at least a woman passenger accompanied them.
Ten Maruti Swift Desire vehicles at the cost of Rs 8.15 lakh each were procured. An amount of Rs 36.77 lakh was released directly to SBH. Loans were sanctioned to ten identified women drivers to enable them to purchase Maruti Swift Desire VDIs.
The department had identified 18 women but only ten had valid driving licence with badge for running a transport vehicle. The government had proposed to increase the number of beneficiaries to 100 within a year but only one new cab was added to the existing, said a department source.
The state government provided 55 per cent subsidy for the vehicles under She Cab scheme and the beneficiary contribution was 10 per cent. When the cab drivers failed to pay their share, the money was arranged from the Women and Child Welfare Department, the source said.
These vehicles are equipped with GPS system connected to the command control centre. A panic button has also been provided in the vehicle. During an emergency if the driver presses the panic button, alert would be sent to local police station and to the command control centre so that the police could reach the cab in a flash. But still the drivers are not showing much interest.
The source said that six cabs were stationed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as prepaid taxis exclusively for the female passengers. According to Cyberabad Traffic police in RGIA on an average all the six cabs put together could make only 20 trips a day.
That is each cab makes over three trips a day as against eight by regular cabs. Moreover, these cabs are not readily available for the passengers on arrival unlike other cabs and the passengers have to wait for at least 20 minutes before the cab arrives.
The drivers also are having reservations to take passengers to outskirts of the city as they feel that it would not be safe for them. “The service would have been good if there was a return facility.
Once the passenger from airport is dropped at their destination, we have to return empty to airport and this is resulting in losses for us. The fare for the service was not enough. If the government can increase the rates it would help the drivers,” She Cab driver Manjula revealed to The Hans India.
Security and the traffic issues are a mojar problem for women drivers. “Travelling during nights has been an issue as our family members do not want us to go out at that time. Heavy traffic cuts down the number of trips. My vehicle had minor accidents on account of others’ fault,” said another She Cab driver, who does not want to be named.
