Women-only cabs in demand

Women-only cabs in demand

Purvi Kotak, an insurance company executive and a regular party-goer, would unhesitatingly return home in a black-and-yellow cab or an autorickshaw after a night out. The 30-year-old Powai resident does not see herself doing the same after the horrific gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi last week. She plans to hire a cab from an all-women taxi fleet to return home after bringing in the New Year at a party. “It’s not that I don’t trust men anymore. But I don’t want to take a chance as far as my safety is concerned. With women drivers, I can be at ease while returning home late,” said Kotak. The incident in Delhi has instilled fear among citizens of Mumbai and increased the demand for cabs driven by women, especially during the ongoing festive season of Christmas and New Year. Preeti Sharma Menon, founder and MD of Viira cabs, which cater only to women, agrees. “Since the Delhi gang rape, the calls to our call centres have increased to more than 400 compared to nearly half before the incident,” she told DNA. Sushiben Shah, founder of Priyadarshini cabs, an all-women cab service, says there has been a 35%-40% increase in demand. “The festive season has also contributed to the demand. Female callers demand safety during travel,” she said. Apart from women driving these cabs, what makes passengers feel safe is that they have a GPS system, panic buttons, pepper spray and sticks. The women drivers are also trained for self-defence.