HYDERABAD: Friday night’s horror of an Indigo airlines employee allegedly being harassed by bike-borne men at Shamshabad town while she was on her way home raises questions on the extent of safety measures undertaken by the airline company for its women employees.
Though strict guidelines have been laid out by the government and the police department to provide vehicles to women employees working night shifts, the employee in question, was not provided a transport and had to hire a private cab to get home.
The incident has not only sparked off a debate on the safety of women working in the private sector, but also on the safety of women working with such globally-reputed firms.
Despite several attempts at contacting Indigo seeking a comment on the issue, it elicited no response.
The Telangana Government had issued orders with regard to providing cab services for working women at night in a GO in 2016. It said: “In the case of women employees who are required to work beyond 8:30 pm, transport arrangements are to be made for them. A notice to this effect in Telugu and English shall be exhibited at the main entrance of the establishment indicating the availability of transport.”
The Cyberabad police had also issued a circular to private firms, including companies operating in the IT corridor, to compulsorily provide women employees with transportation facility in case they work beyond 8:30 pm.
The circular also noted that several women employees were not availing the company cab facilities and were using personal means of transport to go out.