The first batch of 11 women DTC bus drivers were inducted in August last year. , photo credit: file photo
In August last year, Sharmila was among eleven women – nine from Haryana and one each from Rajasthan and Delhi – from diverse backgrounds who joined the fleet of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus drivers.
They made headlines as the first batch under ‘Mission Parivartan’ – a joint venture of Delhi government and automaker Ashok Leyland to induct women drivers in DTC and cluster buses to promote safety of women in public transport. They had to undergo an extensive training program where they were also taught how to fix a bus in case it broke down.
But nothing could deter her from braving the pitfalls that awaited her in a male-dominated field.
“Some men don’t know how to respect women, it is very difficult to deal with them,” said 35-year-old Sharmila as she drove her bus towards Sarai Kale Khan.
tortured day and night
Ms. Sharmila, a former government school cook in Haryana, said she takes the morning route for security reasons. “It is very difficult, because everything is uncertain at night. Even though we have powers, we are still women. [Men] Look at us in a way that makes us feel uncomfortable.
“At night, most men board the bus under the influence of alcohol. They can barely speak, and if I try to say something they raise their voices. It gets difficult,” he added.
Neetu Devi, 25, has to face this problem even during the day. “Not only do male drivers make us feel uncomfortable, but so do the passengers.” Ms. Neetu, who holds a Junior Basic Training (JBT) diploma and an MA degree, had a steady teaching job in Hisar but wanted to become a bus driver against all odds.
He said pickpockets, who either board the bus alone or with an accomplice, are another threat. “They walk around with blades in their hands and we are scared of them.”
Sharing a recent incident while driving towards Old Delhi, Ms. Neetu said, “Some pickpockets boarded the bus asking me to stop without a nearby bus stand. I refused, but then they started threatening me.”
“On another occasion, I was waiting at a red light and two men [driver’s] door and started talking to me. I got scared and I stopped it.
taunts by male peers
For most women drivers, the harassment not only extends to leers and threats, but also sexist comments. Seema Devi, 36, said that whenever her vehicle breaks down, men usually taunt her, saying “if you don’t know how to drive, why did you become a driver?”
“If we drive slow [under the speed limit]They ask us to speed up and say men drive more,” Ms Seema said.
“What’s more heartbreaking is that they taunt us saying ‘since when did women start following rules?’ As if we have no identity of our own,” she lamented.
According to Ms. Neetu, the women currently work under one-year contracts, and the transport department has decided to pay them per kilometer.
Fighting outdated mindsets and oppression is part of the work these women drivers do. They cover themselves in a certain way and make sure to speak fearlessly. Sharmila said that no woman should ever feel unsafe while boarding a bus. “The lady bus marshal working with us understood our plight. It’s like a never-ending cycle,” Ms. Seema said.