MNS against pink autos for women drivers

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has severely criticised the Maharashtra State Transport department’s decision of pink-auto initiative for women drivers.

Claiming the initiative is an obstacle for poor women drivers, MNS general secretary, Shalini Jitendra Thackeray along with her party workers staged a protest at the Maharashtra State Transport department’s office in Bandra on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier this month, at least 467 women in the Mumbai metropolitan region and about 100 more in western Maharashtra received the permits for driving their three-wheeled vehicles. However, the state government feels the auto-rickshaws should be painted pink or peach to distinguish them from the tens of thousands of male-driven, black-yellow autos that ply in Mumbai.

During their meeting with the commissioner of the state transport department, Dr Praveen Gedam, MNS activists said there should not be any discrimination over the colour of the autos.

“The decision over the specific colour of the auto is quite insensitive and would create an obstacle in certain situations. For instance, if the woman driver is pregnant or cannot drive the auto for few months due to her ill-health. In such cases it would be difficult for the woman to generate income as the auto cannot be driven by male drivers due to its pink or peach colour,” said Mrs Thackeray.