Delhi’s 19-year-olds make commuting safer with a click

Just when you thought the safety movement that erupted after the December 16 gangrape had lost steam, comes a new effort by a bunch of Delhi boys, all of 20 and less.

Just when you thought the safety movement that erupted after the December 16 gangrape had lost steam, comes a new effort by a bunch of Delhi boys, all of 20 and less.

Friends Ankush Pandey, 20 (IP University), Sujay Arora (19, University of Waterloo), Ekansh Kaushik (20, Mahamaya Technical University), and Basant Singh (19, IP University) have created what may be the answer to women’s safety woes across metros — a new phone application that allows women to book the closest women-driven cabs in their vicinity at one click.

Called, Caboom, the tool tracks all available taxis of various cab operators in the vicinity and allows users to book a cab of their choice. Women are at an extra advantage. “In light of recent events that question safety of women, we’re incorporating a dedicated, W, button that would filter all closest women-driven cabs. As a part of the safety features, users can also enable a service that sends details of the cab they hail to friends and relatives, beforehand,” says Pandey, adding that first-time women taxi users need to verify their authenticity over a phone call since safety of women drivers is also to be ensured.

Thanks to their cause, the young crusaders have also landed support from technology giants. “We’ve partnered with SoftLayer, recently acquired by IBM, under their Catalyst Startup Incubator program. We are offered a $1,000 credit for hosting and mentorship,” says Pandey, confident of making a difference.