Facing resistance, Chennai’s pink auto drivers set up their own stands

Chennai's female auto drivers establish their own stands, enhancing safety and security amid ongoing resistance from male counterparts.

S. Logannayaki, an autorickshaw driver for 15 years, had come to the Shenoy Nagar Metro Station to drop off customers. A couple of Metro users, seeing an auto available, climbed in and asked her to wait for them. However, a male auto driver was quick to approach them and demand that they get off her auto.

“He directly told them, ‘She is not part of the auto drivers’ group here. There is a stand right here for us. You [customers] must take only these autos’. He didn’t even look at me or address me,” recalled Ms. Logananayaki. “The customers, though frightened, fought with him. But he did not back down. Finally, they got off my auto and opted to walk rather than hire an auto at all.”

Today, an autorickshaw stand just for women drivers has been opened at the very same place.

“An auto stand means security. Not just for us but also for customers. It gives us space to catch a breather, pick up regular customers, and to take bathroom breaks. This Shenoy Nagar auto stand has three bathrooms that women can use,” said Mohana, treasurer of Veera Pengal Thozhilargal Sangam (VPTS).

Chennai has only two other autorickshaw stands for women drivers — at Kannagi Nagar and Saidapet. These were opened in the past year. The auto stand was set up with the help of the NGO Association for Non-traditional Employment for Women (Anew) and the VPTS.

Sridevi, who has been driving her pink auto for six months, noted that nowhere in the city can they stop. The male auto drivers immediately chase us away, she said.