Delhi Govt Plans To Hire 200 Women Drivers For DTC Buses

Delhi will soon have women drivers as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is planning to recruit 200 women drivers for the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot flagged off the first phase of ‘Mission Parivartan’, which is a joint venture of the government and auto-maker Ashok Leyland, to induct women drivers to operate DTC and cluster scheme buses to provide employment opportunities as well as promote women’s safety in public transport.

On Tuesday, Kailash Gahlot handed over appointment letters to the first batch of 11 women bus drivers. He informed all the 11 women drivers who have been employed have completed their training.

“It is an important day for women. It was CM Arvind Kejriwal’s dream to empower women and provide them employment. Today, 11 women drivers got employment letters after completing their training. Ten more women are getting trained while the other batches have also begun. We plan to have 200 women drivers in DTC,” Gahlot said.

In February 2022, the Delhi government relaxed the height and experience criteria for recruitment of women drivers for DTC and cluster buses in the capital. The minimum height was reduced to 153 cm while the experience period after issuance of a heavy motor vehicle licence was lowered to one month from three years in the past for female applicants applying for the post of bus driver.

Gahlot said, “We had relaxed norms for them. These women drivers have completed a training of three months. They have been trained in the depot and also have had on-road training. Experienced trainers from DTC have trained them.” Till now nine women from Haryana, one each from Rajasthan and Delhi have joined the fleet.