Learning to live with the auto-crat’s dirty gaze

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 10 Maret 2013 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: For the city's women, autos are a necessary evil. With buses too crowded, and taxis too expensive and the Metro lacking last mile connectivity, the auto is a woman commuter's best bet. Not so the auto drivers. They misbehave, overcharge and often refuse to go.

In the last two months, more than 200 auto drivers were found driving drunk. "I feel unsafe getting into an auto alone at night because the drivers always seem to judge you for being out late. Often, they are drunk, and offer to drop you home instead of where you want to go," said Sunita Dev, 29.

Women just learn to ignore the leering auto drivers and the suggestive songs they play. "I've learnt to live with that but finding an auto is a problem. A driver once told me he couldn't take me to Hauz Khas but I was welcome to go home with him," said Anjali Sharma-Khanna, 24, an independent filmmaker.

Women plan their day with the availability of autos in mind. "I alter my plans — how long I'm staying out, which market I'm going to — based on whether I'll be able to find an auto. By 9pm, I start getting anxious as drivers charge arbitrary rates," said Timmi Singh, 19, a student.

At night, routes drivers take is another source of anxiety. "Unless I'm sure about every turn on the way, I don't go by auto. Once, I had to go from Laxmi Nagar Metro station to Patparganj but the driver took me towards northeast Delhi. It was 8pm, I kept asking him to let me get off, but he kept insisting it was the right way. I had to call the cops," said Antara Rai, 20, a DU student.

To spare themselves drivers' leers, women even dress differently. "When I travel by auto, I don't wear skirts or even calf-length dresses because auto drivers stare suggestively. It's uncomfortable when the auto driver constantly checks you out in the mirror but I suffer it silently because I know if I get off I won't find another auto," said Medha Sood, 26.

STUCK IN NEUTRAL Applicant must have licence, PSV badge, residence proof, hire purchase lease from recognized institution (to keep out financiermafia) Preference to women drivers GPS-based fare Only new autos have GPS meters, the 55,000 old ones don't No address verification done No identification or photograph displayed in auto STA hasn't cancelled many permits despite numerous violations

GETTING AUTOS TO FALL IN LINE

GPS panic button | It is already present in many autos but is useless because it has not been integrated with the Delhi Police system. It should be mandatory in autos and the system integration should be finished quickly

Public service vehicle badge | It is a mandatory proof of a driver's verification by the authorities. But many drivers do not have one, and those who do get away as the verification system is weak. The verification system needs to be improved

Prepaid booths | The prepaid system has failed as cops plead helplessness in getting autos to join it. There should be more prepaid booths and no delay in arranging a prepaid auto

Prosecution | The crackdown against autos immediately after the Nirbhaya case has had no effect. It needs to be sustained


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