Mother of 3 becomes J&K’s first female e-rickshaw driver

SRINAGAR:  A housewife in Jammu has smashed the gender stereotype by becoming the first woman to drive an e-rickshaw in the militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir. Seema Devi a mother of three teenagers has been driving the e-rickshaw in Nagrota and its adjoining areas for the past four months.

“I took up this job because my husband’s earnings were not enough. There is a lot of inflation and I wanted to support my husband so that we can provide a decent living to our family and better education to our kids,” she said.

Seema, who is in her mid 40s,  has a 15-year-old son and two daughters aged 14 years and 12 years. Talking to this paper, Seema said she took to driving e-rickshaw as she couldn’t find another job to support family. “I and my husband took a loan of Rs 30,000 and purchased the e-rickshaw on an EMI of Rs 3,000. My husband taught me how to drive the e-rickshaw and I learnt it quickly,” she said. 

“I felt if women can run trains and planes, why not an e-rickshaw? It motivated me,” she said, adding that she got inspired by women working in different fields. Asked whether her family is supportive, Seema said, “My husband has been very supportive and helpful.” 

‘Women feel safe in my e-rickshaw’
Seema says women feel safe in her rickshaw, adding that many trust her to drop girl students to schools