Delhi Metro has award 300 permits for electric autos that will be driven by women to provide last-mile connectivity to commuters, a statement said. The permits have issue to electric mobility solutions and services provider ETO Motors and under the first phase, a fleet of over 50 e-autos would start operations in August, the company said in a statement.
ETO Motors has enter into an agreement with GMR Varalakshmi Foundation and MOWO, an NGO promoting safe mobility for women.
MOWO will onboard and train the women drivers for last mile e-mobility services, the statement said, adding that the initiative aims to create sustainable income and enhancement opportunities for 300 women.
The women will be provide with skill enhancement training, continue guidance and help to run e-autos, thereby improving their employability or helping them become micro-entrepreneurs, it said.
The e-autos driven by women would be blue and lilac in colour to enhance their visibility from the commuters’ point of view.
An official of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) confirm the development.
Deepankar Tiwari, Non-Executive Vice Chairman Said :
“Our commitment to empower women folk is truly unique and is underline by the fact that ETO Motors has traine 100 young unemploye women to drive electric autos in the 100 per cent electric mobility city of Kevadia in Gujarat,”.
“We are now adding 300 electric autos in the Metro Stations in Delhi, driven by women who will provide last-mile connectivity services to commuters who would use the metro service,”.
ETO’s EV charging solution, Thunderbox will be install across Delhi at various metro stations, residential societies, and malls to help the women drivers have easy access to charging points.
The Delhi government had invite online applications in October and November last year for e-autos, officials said.
A total of 19,846 applications were receive from male applicants against the quota of 2,855 e-autos, and 743 applications were receive from female applicants against the quota of 1,406 e-autos, they said.
Government issue a statement where it said 663 e-autos under the women quota were allote to the DMRC on 3rd March 3 2022 with permission to operate through an aggregator or operator.
