A taxi on trial run in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 8: Good news awaits capital’s women on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. Pink taxis, meant exclusively for them, will hit city streets on March 31.

These taxis, driven by women, would be part of a new taxi project being launched by a private company in the capital. Of the total 100 airconditioned cabs that would hit the roads on March 31, 20 per cent would be pink hued, which will driven by and reserved to women exclusively.

An initiative of the Team Works Management Services Private Limited, the service will fulfil a long standing demand of the residents of the city for a safe and comfortable means of transport.

“The city does not have any air-conditioned bus service. The air-conditioned taxi service will help women of all categories, including housewives, besides people coming from other parts of the country who have always wanted a taxi service for them,” said Bhakta Ranjan Sahu, an official.

“Occasionally, we hear how unsafe is the taxi service in many metro cities. Frequently, there are also reports of sexual assaults and murder of women passengers. But, all the taxis launched in our capital would have general pocket radio service enabled satellite location system where every car can be traced from a common call centre. As Google map shows the internal areas of the cities, even if a driver switches it off, an alarm will be generated at the operator’s call centre,” added Sahu.

Two taxis are already plying in the city on a test ride basis with a mission to make residents aware of the service that would be launched in a full-fledged manner soon.

“The test ride of the taxis is already on. On March 31, the fleet of 100 taxis will hit the road. The service will be available twenty-four hours a day and on all weekdays,’’ added Bhabani Mohanty, another official.

Officials of the service provider said: “We will divide the city into five zones. However, travel charges from one end of a particular zone to another will be Rs 10 only. Any person who will get into the taxi in between will have to pay the full price. Four passengers can be accommodated in a taxi at a time.’’

Jasaswini Mohapatra, a homemaker who resides in Ganganagar, hoped the new taxi service would help people like her who would like to travel in an air-conditioned vehicle to avoid the scorching heat of the summer.

“Bhubaneswar should work on building a more futuristic and passenger-oriented public transport strategy to build a better and more affordable transport system. I hope the taxi service would help the residents of the capital,’’ said Jitendra Kumar Senapati, a banker staying at Nayapalli.