Mumbai
“It was my dream to become a BEST [Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport] bus driver. I cannot express my happiness,” said Laxmi Jadhav, who will soon be the first female driver of the transport undertaking.
Laxmi, 41, came to Mumbai in 2000 from Satara in western Maharashtra after her marriage. Residing in Mulund with her husband Dilip Jadhav and two children, Santosh and Sahil, she started driving her own autorickshaw in 2016. Fellow autorickshaw drivers used to call her “Jhansi ki Rani”.
“I started driving an autorickshaw out of curiosity. I was looking for a job but I always had a passion for driving, so I thought why couldn’t a woman drive an autorickshaw. This prompted me to get a licence. Ask anybody in Mulund where Jhansi ki rani rickshawali stays and they will direct you to my house. I used to drive autorickshaws in Mulund and other parts of Mumbai before switching to heavy vehicles,” she said.
In 2019, Laxmi received her heavy vehicle driving licence and started driving trucks and buses with private companies alongside her husband.
“I was looking to earn additional money for my family. Hence, I got a heavy vehicle driving licence. I can drive trucks, tankers and buses. I have operated all heavy vehicles,” she said.
Laxmi presently works with a private company which will lease out its buses to BEST on wet lease model under which the vehicles are hired by the undertaking along with the drivers.
In fact, she applied to BEST after learning from the company about the requirement of female bus drivers. “I always wanted to drive BEST buses as they are the pride of Mumbai. When I heard they were looking for female drivers, I immediately applied as I had the experience.”
BEST will introduce its first female bus driver on Friday or Saturday at Dharavi bus depot. The vehicle will be operated till Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai. Along with Laxmi, 70 female bus conductors will also be deployed.
Laxmi will have to work an eight-hour shift and has been training since February. “I am not nervous as I have experience in driving buses. I have been undergoing training from 2 pm to 5 pm every day where all aspects of operation and reactions in difficult situations are taught by BEST officials,” she said.
Her family is thrilled with her appointment. “Both my sons and my husband are very happy with my decision [to apply for BEST bus driver job] and are excited as I will be the first female BEST bus driver in the city,” Laxmi said.
BEST has planned to appoint an additional 100 female conductors and two more female drivers.