Pink autos in Ranchi no longer 'women only'

RANCHI: Pink autorickshaws which were launched in the state capital specially for women's safety after the spurt in crime against women is no more exclusively for females. Drivers of these vehicles are forced to look for male passengers because they do not have enough female passengers so as to make them earn a living.
The pink autos were launched in 2013 in Ranchi after as a safety measure for women after the Nirbhaya Delhi gang rape case on December 16, 2012.
As male passengers take these autos, instances of eve-teasing inside these vehicles are likely to happen. Shanti Devi, a driver of pink auto, said at Argora Chowk, "We usually have to wait for long to get female passengers. When we do not get them, we allow male passengers so that we can make more trips in less time. Allowing male passengers along helps us in earning more."
Another driver, Lata Kumari, said: "Few routes have been provided to us and we cannot ply through the length and breadth of the capital. Restriction on routes and gender makes our work far more tough than our male counterparts. The service that was aimed at women's safety has not given us any incentive as compensation. This is the reason we had started ferrying male passengers too in pink autos."
However, Arti Behra, president of the pink auto women drivers' association, said: "No male passengers are allowed to travel in pink autos.."