Pink autos not in pink of health

The exclusively-for-women pink auto service may soon be a thing of the past. Launched with much fanfare in December last year, it was seen as a safe mode of transport as compared to the shared autos, that are a major form of public transport in Gurgaon.

The exclusively-for-women pink auto service may soon be a thing of the past. Launched with much fanfare in December last year, it was seen as a safe mode of transport as compared to the shared autos, that are a major form of public transport in Gurgaon.

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While the fleet size was reduced by ten vehicles from the original 32 within three months, operators now are threatening to revoke the service all together. They said that despite repeated complaints, authorities have turned a deaf ear.

Ever since the facility was launched to address commuting woes of women, the issue of structured fare remains unsolved and the cold war with drivers of the normal autos continues.

The transport and the traffic police department, however, have not bothered to intervene and left this novel concept to die its own death, auto operators claimed.

"We were doing brisk business in the beginning and drivers were earning very well. A few months down the line, we are running in total losses. Our daily income has come down from R700 to R250 now," said Rajender Pradhan, head of the Pink Auto Union.

The normal autos also drive away female passengers by offering them lower rates.

DCP (traffic) Bharti Arora refused to comment on the issue saying the private company running the service cannot be given any further help.