ALAPPUZHA: Expansion plans of Nirbhaya Safari, a women-friendly auto-rickshaw project launched by Alappuzha police, has failed. They had decided to train 100 more auto drivers in January. A police official said the process stalled due to “technical reasons”.
“Five months down the line, nothing has happened,” he said. Modelled on She Taxis of the social welfare department it appeared to be most suitable for the tourist town. “Though there was fund crunch, the project had been taken forward giving special allowance to the members of the scheme,” said K. Lalji, the former Dy.SP who launched the project.
The selected auto drivers have been provided with a special sticker to be pasted on the vehicle to let women know. They were instructed that they should be polite and punctual with the woman travellers and the better performers will be honoured.
An appreciation function, he said, had been held as part of a review meeting the other day. “We ride in the town like others. I joined the project as a service to the society. Whenever I get woman travellers, they will be given extreme care and protection. If the project gets expanded, it will largely be helpful to women particularly at a time when atrocities against them are on the rise," says B. Surendran, an auto driver.
