52yearold Mohali grandmom hits the road as bike taxi driver
MOHALI A 52-year-old grandmother from Phase 11 here is among the 100 bike taxi riders who started operating in Mohali, Kharar and Zirakpur on Tuesday as part of the Punjab government’s ‘Apni Gaddi, Apna Rozgar’ programme.
The bike taxis, launched in partnership with Uber, were flagged off by finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal at the Indian School of Business here. Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh could not attend the event due to his mother’s demise on Monday.
Paramjeet Kaur, who rides a scooter, is all smiles as she tells you about the rousing response she is getting.
“A senior citizen I ferried on Monday as part of test run commended me for taking this step. He said more women should step out,” beams Paramjeet, dressed in a traditional salwar kameez.
She is mother of three children. His elder son has a three-year-old daughter. Her daughter, married in Shimla, is also expecting a baby soon. Her youngest son is studying.
“Though my family asked me not to slog, I thought it is a good way to supplement family income,” she adds.
Life hasn’t been a bed of roses for Paramjeet, who lost her husband in her youth. But she always remained a fighter. Asked how she got to know about the bike taxi service, she says her car is already associated with Uber. “Some time ago, I got a message flashed on my mobile about the company’s new bike taxi service in Punjab.”
Asked if she has any apprehensions about her new role, Paramjeet says, “I am quite sure that people will be nice to me and appreciate my hard work.” She says she has been riding a scooter for the past 10 years and the company experts had also trained her.
Paramjeet will be paid on hourly basis. “They have given me a target of six rides a day. In case, my target is not met till late night, it can be transferred to another driver.”
ZIRAKPUR WOMAN TAKES CHALLENGE TOO
Madhu Bala, who belongs to Zirakpur, is another female bike taxi driver. She is already a part-time accountant and an LIC agent. Her husband is in a private job and helps her too.
A mother of 11-year-old son, Madhu says the passion to do something different in life has motivated her to take yet another job.
“It’s a mistaken belief that women are only meant to do domestic work,” she says.
1ST IN A SERIES OF INITIATIVES, SAYS MANPREET
Speaking on the occasion, Manpreet said that it was one of the series of initiatives the Congress government plans to undertake as part of its prepoll promise to provide 25 lakh jobs in next five years.
This scheme will employ at least 1 lakh young people every year and the government plans to partner with more companies of different spheres in order to generate employment. Ola will also launch bike taxi service in several cities, including Mohali, in partnership with the Punjab government. Their test run is on.