Lady cabbies take Mumbai by storm

Ladies travelling to Mumbai needn't worry about unruly cab drivers as women are now behind the wheel. With over 40 per cent of Mumbai's women now working, it was only expected that an woman's exclusive cab service would come into existence. In fact Mumbai has two cab services tailored exclusively for women and run by women.

The first one called Forshe (FOR SHE) is 48-year old Revathi Siddharth Roy's venture. This rally driver loved driving and began this venture after she lost her husband.

Forsche is India's first cab service exclusively for women. It came into existence on March 8, 2007 and since then her call-a-cab service for women passengers is plying women from hotels and corporate houses. Roy started off with 25 air-conditioned cabs and is now planning to expand her fleet.

Taking a leaf from Roy's book, other women entrepreneurs have joined the fray.

The Priyadarshini Taxi Service (PTS) launched in Mumbai on November 25 last year. You can spot them as they stand out in their distinctive pink colored taxis. Susiieben Shah, the president of PTS says, "We cater to BPO employees, women tourists, foreigners etc. India has been declared the third unsafe place in the world. With woman on the wheel, a tourist will feel safer."

All these taxis are pink with a driver dressed in pink too. All the women drivers have undergone 60 days training in driving and self-defense. These women can speak English and have also completed a training course in tourism too. These taxis are also equipped with a pepper spray (for self defence). The "spirit" behind the service was to create an income generating capacity in women. All the taxis are owned by the women, which have been provided to them in less than the cost price.

Though the service has not taken off in a big way, the founders are optimistic. "We have just started a few months back. Once we start advertising our services, we will get a lot of response," says the Kinny Kaul, vice president of PTS.

PTS is presently in talks with two BPOs in Mumbai who are willing to outsource their transportation for their employees. She also said that they will have a counter both at the national and international airport in Mumbai soon. Also a new batch of about 30 taxis will be launched by March this year, says Shah.

An owner of a PTS pink taxi, Sushma Hiwale (32) who used to be a graphic designer said, "When we drive on the road, people give us the thumbs up." A female sales manager of Vodafone who is based in Kerala calls me a day before she lands in Mumbai and asks me to pick her up."

Parijat Pol, 23, one of the owners of the 20 PTS taxis plying on Mumbai's roads says, "I heard about these services and joined them. They trained us in yoga and karate for three months after which we were ready to drive on the roads."

However, both these services are in their nascent stages and they are still to venture into the late-night territories as they fold up by 8 pm. So if you are coming to Mumbai by a late-night flight, do not expect the pink or lavender cab to be at your beck and call. But of course, it is just a matter of time before all-night women's cab services will be the norm, the women say.