NEW DELHI: Delhi government on Friday launched a special programme to train women to drive heavy goods vehicles.
The programme for the first batch of 38 women candidates, who will apply for a driving licence under the heavy motor vehicle category, was inaugurated by transport minister Kailash Gahlot.
The joint venture between the government and auto-maker Ashok Leyland is part of a larger initiative to induct women drivers to operate DTC and cluster scheme buses and promote women safety in public transport, the transport department said. “The initiative also aims to give employment opportunities to women in Delhi,” said an official.
The initiative will facilitate a 30-day “end-to-end training” for 180 women. Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS), under its CSR support, has signed an MoU with Society for Driving Training Institute (SDTI), Burari, which is run by Ashok Leyland, to implement the programme.
Gahlot said: “We’ve brought in changes in recruitment rules and reduced experience and height eligibility criteria for women. Our new buses are low-floor, automatic and easy to drive, and we are confident of seeing more women drivers in the coming years.”
SDTI Burari has already mobilised 100-plus women and learner’s licence has been issued to over 40 of them.The selected women already have light motor vehicle licence and aspire to take heavy vehicle driving as their profession.
These women will be imparted competency training, including skill tests by experts, which covers both classroom learning and driving.
