NEW DELHI: Zeenat, 22, till recently thought only “affluent people can touch cars”. Now, she finds herself behind the wheel every day. An employee of Sakha Consulting Wings which employs women cab drivers for its all-women cab fleet, Zeenat remembers well how she fought personal difficulties to drive a commercial vehicle.
Stepping out to financially help her family, right after school, was an obvious decision for Zeenat — her mother was battling cancer, and her siblings and father struggling to meet the expenses.Initially, she brushed off learning to drive a car as a fancy proposal when approached by an NGO. Now, Zeenat is an “example” in the neighbourhood.
“They were giving off pamphlets near our house in Hasanpur depot. At that point, all I could think of being my mother’s caregiver. My mother insisted that this was the only opportunity for me to establish myself. She fought with other family members, insisted that I push myself to learn driving, and put aside money from her treatment for me,” said Zeenat.
Now, that her strongest supporter is no more when she is finally driving a cab on Delhi roads, Zeenat emphasizes in living her mother’s dream.Currently, Sakha has 25 cabs and 37 women drivers in the city. Its call centre receives around 25 calls from driving aspirants every day. The trainees have to complete 14 training modules during the training period.
But driving a cab in the city is no less challenging. The calm she is required to keep on the roads, while battling the sexist behaviour of other motorists, is an everyday learning experience. “Several times, clients back us up when other motor riders misbehave. They tell us to not get affected. The clients are mostly sensitised and that helps,” she said.
For Suman Verma, 27, it has been no less of a battle. Driving a car was the obvious choice for her. “I did not understand anything else apart from how to drive a car.” When her husband did not support her decision, she moved out of the house along with her daughter.Initially employed with Sakha, she quit to drive other cabs. Back to Sakha where she is comfortable, now Suman’s dream is to raise her daughter well. “I want to continue to be a good driver like I am now. I want to earn enough to support my nine-year-old daughter’s education.” Driving is the most liberating feeling, she admitted.