Kozhikode corporation moots taxi service for women

Monday, 06 January 2014 09:39 administrator
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The Times of India             06.01.2014

Kozhikode corporation moots taxi service for women

KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode corporation is planning to introduce a 24-hour taxi and auto service for women within its limits.

The proposal has been mooted under the development of women and children sector for the 2014-2015 financial year. The project aims to introduce at least one auto service each in all 75 wards and taxi services to help women in the wake of growing atrocities against them.

The state government and the civic body will help in funding the service to be owned and run by women. The corporation is also planning to give driving lessons to women selected for operating the service.

The social welfare standing welfare committee chairman M Radhakrishnan said the civic body wanted to introduce one auto each in 75 wards. "We will start the service only after a feasibility study," he said.

"The project will be introduced through Kudumbashree. The beneficiaries of the scheme will receive subsidies from the state government and civic body. The rest of the amount will be provided as bank loan," he said.

"A decision regarding the number of taxi services and total allocation will be finalized after compiling suggestions from the ongoing ward-level conventions," he said.

"The service will be a great help for women who reach the city at odd hours. The service should operate from the main bus stands and railway stations," opined P Kavitha from Meenchanda.

"At present, we ask our family members to pick us up from the station. The service will help girl students studying in other states who reach the city late," she said.