TGSRTC Lags in Hiring Women Drivers

Hyderabad: Though TGSRTC buses have become synonymous with women's transportation in Telangana, with an average of 30 lakh women using them daily, the corporation has not employed female drivers since its inception. The number of women conductors is also lower compared to their male counterparts. Out of 14,894 drivers in TGSRTC, all are men, and among the 17,614 conductors, only 4,322 are women.

Former RTC director M. Nageshwar Rao said that if the corporation were to hire women drivers, it would set a new precedent. "When the Indian Air Force is recruiting women fighter pilots, why is RTC lagging behind? The state's Mahalakshmi scheme initiative is widely appreciated by women," he added.

However, the state has provided opportunities for women in similar roles. For instance, SHE Cabs employs women drivers, and several women serve as train drivers in Hyderabad Metro Rail. With the increasing number of women passengers, having more women in staff positions would make the services more women-friendly. On Raksha Bandhan, 41.74 lakh women travelled on TGSRTC buses. Recently, a woman conductor even assisted in the delivery of a baby on an RTC bus.

The government has approved filling 3,035 vacant posts during the ongoing recruitment in RTC. If women are selected as drivers, it would be a big achievement. In other states, state-owned transport corporations are actively encouraging the recruitment of women drivers. For instance, Uttar Pradesh recently appointed around 20 women drivers and 20 women conductors. Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Maharashtra have already integrated women into these roles. During N. Chandrababu Naidu's tenure as Chief Minister of the united Andhra Pradesh, women conductors were also recruited.