Gender Sensitisation Training Mandatory For Drivers Of Public Service Vehicles In Delhi

All public service vehicles in Delhi, including cabs and auto-rickshaws, will not be issued fitness certificates unless their drivers mandatorily undergo gender sensitisation training, officials said on Thursday. 

 “The course was mandatory earlier as well, but it has now been streamlined with some changes,” said Navlendra Kumar Singh, joint commissioner of the Delhi Government's Transport Department.

  It was mandatory for drivers of auto-rickshaws and commercial light motor vehicles to obtain a certificate of gender sensitisation programme conducted by the Manas Foundation in association with the Institutes of Driving and Traffic Research(IDTR) at Sarai Kale Khan and Loni and the Driver Training Institute (DTI), Transport Authority, Burari.

 Now, it has been decided to make it mandatory for all public service vehicle (PSV) drivers to enrol themselves in the programme to obtain a valid certificate. It will need to be produced at the time of fitness test of vehicle, stated a Transport Department order issued last week. The training programme will be free of cost and will be valid up to two years. 

 "The Vehicle Inspection Unit, Burari will ensure that no certificate of fitness is granted to any PSV vehicle without submission of requisite (gender sensitisation training) certificate by the driver of the vehicle with immediate effect," stated the order.

The Vehicle Inspection Unit in Burari will also prepare a module to ensure that a gender sensitisation training certificate is not being used for obtaining certificate of fitness for more than one vehicle. Authentication of the motor vehicle inspectors would not be required for the gender sensitisation certificate produced by the drivers or permit holders.

“The certificate should not be more than 7 days old on the day of fitness test of the vehicle,” stated the order. Chandu Chaurasia, the president of the Capital Driver Welfare Association, welcomed the move, saying it will help make public transport commuter-friendly, especially for women. 

With PTI Inputs