One of the trainees practises driving an autorickshaw in Patna on Monday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Women have laid a siege to a male bastion.

Come Independence Day, 15 women would be ready to start their careers as autorickshaw drivers.

The Bihar State Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association, which was training 35 women how to drive autos, has also helped them get a loan to obtain the vehicle.

Of them, the chosen 15 got their autorickshaws three days ago. The validity of their learners’ licence would end on August 10, after which they would apply for a permanent licence. After receiving the licence, the ladies would drive autos commercially.

Rajkumar Jha, general secretary, Bihar State Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association said he has got permission from the district transport office to open booths in 16 locations, including Patna Junction, Boring Road Chouraha, Rajendra Nagar, Agamkuan, Gaighat Pul and Gandhi Maidan from where the pre-paid service involving women would start.

He said: “We are confident that the 15 women who have got the autorickshaws on loan three days ago, would clear permanent license test as they did very well in training. We started with 35 women, but only 15 of them were granted loan. We started the programme to empower women.”

Jha added: “A private bank provided a loan between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh to each trainee to procure the autos. The women put in only Rs 10,000-20,000. Every month, the ladies are required to pay Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 towards repayment of loan.”

The women are excited.

Sarita Pandey, 32, who was earlier a private school teacher, said: “I left my previous job after I got to know that the auto association would not only teach how to drive, but also help us get a loan to buy the vehicle.

“I was earning only Rs 3,000 at the school while my husband, who works in a jewellery shop, also gets a similar salary. It had become difficult for us to fulfil our children’s needs. Now that I have become a good driver, I am confident that I would be able to clear the driving test for the permanent licence and send my children to good schools,” said Pandey.

She said she had to face strange reactions from her neighbours and relatives, but that did not deter her from her aim.

“When some of the boys of my locality got to know I am learning how to drive an autorickshaw and want to take up commercial driving, they began taunting me, saying that it would be a lot of fun when they would sit in my autorickshaw as they would get the opportunity to flirt with me. I retorted that I would get the chance of punishing them as we have been given martial arts training to handle this kind of situation.”

Pinki Kumari, 25, a homemaker, has also started weaving her dream of driving an autorickshaw.

“My husband is a cook. His monthly income is only Rs 5,000. Surviving on such a meagre amount is difficult. When both of us start earning, running the house would be easier.”

Kriti Jyotsna Sharma, a first-year LLB student at Bhagalpur University, has a different reason to choose to drive an auto. “I want to take up commercial driving so that I can earn some quick buck,” she said.