Around 2000 women and girls of the provisional State capital reportedly benefited from the free transport facility (pick and drop services) especially for women under the project ‘Sukhad’-- an initiative launched by the Traffic Directorate of Uttarakhand on Sunday. An arrangement of 31 Tata Magic/Vikrams was made at 12 different places in the city-Rispana bridge crossing, Dharmpur, Clock Tower, Ballupur, Dilaram Chowk, Jakhan, Survey Chowk, lansdowne Chowk, Tehsil, ISBT, Kargi Chowk and Balliwala Chowk. Under this initiative, women and girls were transported to their respective destinations free of cost between 10 am and 10 pm in the city. By 6 pm, 1737 women benefited from free transport facility. Project ‘Sukhad’ aims at instilling sense of security among women; establishing coordination among police and women as well as developing communication between them so that women can approach the police in case of emergency; encouraging people to use public transport among others, said Traffic Directorate Uttarakhand director DIG Kewal Khurana on Sunday. This facility would be provided between 10 am and 10 pm on fourth Sunday of each month.
In addition to 31 public transport vehicles deployed at 12 above crossings, police were also deployed at crossings to help the women avail of the facility. These vehicles were used for providing free pick and drop facility for women in the city. Khurana said that vehicle drivers were earlier briefed about the same and were directed to wear white dress and behave politely with passengers. People were informed about the same through pamphlets and stickers. Around 5000 people liked this initiative ‘Sukhad’ on social networking site.
Constables were deputed by traffic directorate from 9 am to 11 pm at police control room for monitoring the arrangements in the city, he said, adding with the success of this initiative- Sukhad, it would be implemented in other districts too in the future.