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Ahmedabad, Nov 20 (IANS) Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of women empowerment, Surat Municipal Corporation has launched a first-of-its-kind initiative in Gujarat: A woman driver will now operate a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) bus for women passengers. This is the first case in the state when the steering of a 12 meter long BRTS bus has been handed over to a woman.
Transport committee chairman Somnath Marathe said that more than 450 electric buses currently operate on 13 BRTS routes in Surat, including 150 buses of 12 meter length. Three of these buses run exclusively for women on the ONGC-Sarthana route.
“Till now, these buses had male drivers. We were actively looking for trained female drivers for a long time and finally we found a female driver in Indore, who has now been appointed,” he said.
Marathe said that just as Prime Minister Modi demonstrated the strength of Indian women through ‘Operation Sindoor’, Surat is now setting a new benchmark in Gujarat by starting women-driven BRTS buses.
Renu Sharma, the city’s first woman BRTS bus driver, said that she feels proud to take this responsibility. “Women in India are progressing in every field. My family has supported me all the time and driving gives me great joy,” she said.
Women bus drivers in India represent a growing shift towards gender inclusivity in public transport, breaking long-standing stereotypes in the male-dominated sector.
Over the past decade, many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Indore, Kochi and now Surat have started inducting women drivers for city buses, BRTS fleets and even interstate routes. These drivers undergo rigorous training, often supported by government or municipal schemes that encourage women to take non-traditional jobs.
Today, Gujarat’s BRTS operates in major cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot, forming one of India’s most extensive urban transit networks.
Ahmedabad’s BRTS spans about 86 km with dedicated lanes and modern stations, while Surat has emerged as a green mobility leader with a 107 km long fully electric BRTS corridor running on 13 routes.
–IANS
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