Women cab drivers for female passengers at Bengaluru airport

Image courtesy: Reuters

Bengaluru: Cab services driven by women for female passengers were flagged off at the Kempegowda International Airport here on Monday. "The women drivers will be fluent in multiple languages, well versed with local areas and trained in self-defence tactics to strengthen the safety and security of women passengers," the airport said in a statement.

The tech hub`s airport is located in Devanahalli, about 40 km from the city centre. The women-run taxi service was started by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corp (KSTDC) and the airport operating authority Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL).

The cabs will be equipped with safety features, such as GPRS tracking and an SOS switch in case of any emergency. "The initiative, which has been started on an experimental basis, will commence with 10 cars and gradually increase based on demand and passenger feedback," the statement said. Solo female travellers or group of women can avail the cab services.

The pink cab service will be functional 24 hours and priced at Rs 21.50 per km during the day and Rs 23.50 per km at night. "The service has been implemented with an objective to provide a safe and secure mode of transport for women travellers from the airport, while also creating opportunities for women drivers to be self-employed," KSTDC Managing Director Kumar Pushkar said in a statement.

"The initiative is an effort to contribute to the socio-economic development of women from villages around the airport by recruiting women drivers from the vicinity," BIAL said.