Pink Auto, Gurgaon

Women Only. Double Edged Sword?

 

 

I saw this in Gurgaon today. The pink auto rickshaw for women only, designed to enhance the safety of the fairer sex using public transport in the city. I thought wow, cool concept! After all, there are women-only compartments in trains and in some countries, women-only trains.

Then I thought again, this can be counterproductive. The pink top and all that it signifies can actually serve as a beacon flashing VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE, SOFT TARGETS INSIDE to sick, creepy perverts who like to harass women regardless.

Unlike in trains, where you have (relative) safety in numbers, here it's still the single woman passenger or maximum three that can squeeze in. Though this is great in the share-auto scenario, where random people share autos going in the same direction.

I remembered one of my only auto rides alone after just moving to Delhi from Mumbai in 2002. After the confidence I felt taking public transport on my own in Mumbai, I thought it no big deal to jump into an auto from my office, which at that time was in Janpath Hotel, to my residence, then in New Friends Colony. This was around 6 p.m.

The entire thirty minutes it took to reach my destination, I was filled with unease and insecurity as there were cars that upon seeing a single girl in the auto, would slow down and drive alongside for a while, with the occupants staring. And no, it was not my imagination. After that, I never took an auto back. Always took a cab when I needed to as they at least have lockable doors.

I'm very privileged and lucky to have a car to go around in but to all the women out there forced to take public transport, I feel for you. Take care and be safe.