Well-aware that atrocities against women are on the rise, Sangareddy district’s superintendent of police (SP), Chandra Sekhar Reddy has come up with an interesting initiative. His ‘My Vehicle Is Safe’ campaign aims to ensure the safety of those women who depend on autorickshaws and other modes of public transport for traversing the district.
Revealing what inspired him to take up the initiative, Reddy says, “The growing number of crimes against women has prompted us to start this app. Whenever they travel alone, women’s safety is of utmost importance. Since autorickshaws are the most frequent form of transportation used, we decided to start the implementation of this campaign with three-wheelers.”
In order to use the smartphone application, one would need to download a QR code scanner application from the play store. “The passenger can either scan the QR code on the display sticker (UV-printed board) of the autorickshaw or take a photo of the board and share the details of the driver and his vehicle with their family, friends or the police control room. Sometimes, it can be difficult for CCTV cameras to track a vehicle’s number plate, so additionally, we have given them a unique number which is displayed on the auto in radium print,” adds Reddy.
Specifically, the radium sticker will be pasted in three places on the vehicle — behind the driver’s seat, the front mirror and behind the auto.
Talking about the public’s response to the initiative, the SP tells us that it has been very favourable. “Women are feeling that they are safe and can travel without any apprehensions. Earlier, they used to travel without knowing anything about the driver, but now they have his details,” he shares.
Notably, this simple yet impactful campaign also benefits the autorickshaw drivers. “Such initiatives will not only help in nabbing culprits but also reduce crime rates. The driver too can happily claim that his auto is safe and that his information is all out there and displayed on the vehicle. He will also be given the ‘My Vehicle Is Safe’ ID card and quick reaction-coded stickers too. There are around 5,000 autos in the district and so far the campaign has been implemented in 3,000 autos. Now we have also started extending it to cabs, seven-seaters and other motor vehicles,” Reddy elaborates.
Women professionals also give a thumbs up to these innovative measures. Narsamma, a working woman says, “I commute by auto every day for work. I take a photo of the display board and alert my husband, so it’s a safe travel daily.” While Laxmiram, an auto driver, adds, “The number of people who are using autos has gone up because of this initiative.”
