Women take an autorickshaw ride in Bhubaneswar. Picture byAshwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 27: Pink autorickshaws, a transport facility that would give priority to ensure secure rides for female passengers, will start plying in the city from the third week of April.

Police took psychological tests of 54 autorickshaw drivers on Tuesday before introducing the service. The officials took the help of two experts to find out their attitude towards women. They were asked a set of questions and evaluated on their answers. The police said 50 more autorickshaw drivers would be subjected to the test on March 30 and another 50 drivers in the first week of April.

In the first phase, these autorickshaws would ply from railway station, Barmunda bus terminal, Vanivihar Square and two women’s colleges in the city. The drivers passing the test would get special identity cards.

“In the first phase, around 120 pink autos would ply in the city. We will see the response, and the number of autorickshaws would be increased to 300 depending on it,” said police commissioner R.P. Sharma.

He also said the antecedents of the operators would be checked before issuing them identity cards.

A portion of the autorickshaws would be painted pink and a special logo would be pasted, so that the female passengers can identify them. The police are also planning to integrate the service with police control room at 100 and traffic help line at 1095.

“Our aim is to make the autorickshaws available easily from the places, where the number of female passengers is more, so that they do not face loss,” said a police official.

He said that though these autorickshaws would ferry female passengers on a priority basis, they could also take male passengers when they did not find enough female passengers.

A member of autorickshaw associations said they would fully co-operate with the police.

“This is a welcome move by the police. A number of educated and well-behaved persons are currently driving autorickshaws. So, the pink autos would definitely ensure the female passengers’ safety in the city,” Bhubaneswar Autorickshaw Mahasangha general secretary Padman Kumar Samal said.

The city bus service has already introduced four special buses for female passengers on two routes — Nandankanan-Airport and KIIT Square-Balakati. The buses are plying in two shifts, 7am to 11am and 4pm to 7pm, everyday. Besides, two women special buses by the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation ply between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.