In A First Of Its Kind Initiative, Tribal Women To Now Drive MSRTC buses

In a first of its kind initiative, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will now have tribal women as bus drivers. This move was given a nod by the central government and former President Pratibha Patil inaugurated the corporation's initiative where they train these women to be bus drivers. 

Also Read: Victoria Carriages To Run On Mumbai Streets Again, Only This Time Without Horses

Currently, in the pilot project where these buses will ply between Mumbai and Pune, 163 women have been selected to undergo training. State Transport Minister Diwakar Raote stated that the government will be focusing on creating more job opportunities for tribal women. They will further focus more on their security and ensure that they do not have to go far away from their house. They will be provided with safe accommodation if the work demands them to stay overnight. 

These women are primarily from the tribal regions of the state including Gadchiroli, Vardha, Bhandara and Gondia districts. One of the first tribal women drivers of India, Vijaya Rajeshwari stated that she never imagined that she would be driving and is very happy that the government is providing them with employment. 

Also Read: MSRTC Introduces New Ticket Rates For Luggage Charges In ST Buses