Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, July 10: Here is a bad news for ladies, especially school and college going girls, who have been waiting for a ladies special bus for hassle free journey since a long long time.
The Transport Department has now made it clear that the department has no immediate plan to introduce exclusive busses for ladies. This clearly means that for some more years, ladies in Andaman and Nicobar Islands will have to continue their daily struggle with Gents for a seat or space inside local buses.
“In jam packed buses, it become extremely difficult for us sometimes. We suffer a lot of direct and indirect molestation, everyday and there is no scope to protest. In Jam packed buses how one girl will lodge complaint? An exclusive bus for ladies would have been a great relief for us,” said a college student of JNRM, who travels for one hour everyday in bus from South Andaman to reach her college.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Mrs. Ratna Kannan, the Chairperson, A & N Social Welfare Advisory Board told that bus facility especially for ladies is urgently required. “I am planning to meet the Director of STS and request him to introduce some ladies especial buses immediately,” Mrs. Kannan added.
When contacted the Secretary-cum-Director (Transport) Mr. G. L. Meena (IAS) said that the Department has not received any such demands till now and therefore there is no such immediate plans.
“Even, if such demands come, there will be requirements for female conductors and drivers, which we don’t have,” Mr. Meena added.
