A statement on Wednesday stated that 300 permits have been issued by Delhi Metro for electric autos to be driven by women in order to provide last-mile connectivity for commuters.
ETO Motors, an electric mobility solution provider, has been granted permits. The company stated in a statement that the first phase would see over 50 electric autos start operation in the month of August.
ETO Motors has reached an agreement with GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, and an NGO that promotes safe mobility for women, MOWO.
MOWO will train and onboard women drivers to use last-mile e-mobility services. The statement added that MOWO aims at creating sustainable income for 300 women and enhancing their opportunities.
It said that the women will receive skill enhancement training, ongoing guidance, and assistance in running electric autos. This will improve their employability or help them become micro-entrepreneurs.
To improve commuters’ visibility, the e-autos-driven women will be in the colours blue and lilac as per an official of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
“Our commitment to empowering women folk is truly unique and is underlined by the fact that ETO Motors has trained 100 young unemployed women to drive electric autos in the 100 per cent electric mobility city of Kevadia in Gujarat,” said Deepankar Tiwari, Non-Executive Vice Chairman.
“We are now adding 300 electric autos in the Metro Stations in Delhi, driven by women who will provide last-mile connectivity services to commuters who would use the metro service,” Tiwari added.
Thunderbox, ETO’s EV-charging solution, will be installed in Delhi at different metro stations, malls, and residential communities. This will allow women drivers to have easy access to the EV charging points.
Officials said that the Delhi government had received online applications for e-autos in October and November of last year.
They said that 19,846 male applicants submitted applications against the quota of 2855 electric autos and 743 female applicants submitted applications against the 1,406 electric autos quota.
Later, the government released a statement stating that 663 electric autos were allocated to the DMRC under the women’s quota on March 3, this year. They had permission to operate through an operator or aggregator.