More than 30 women auto drivers gathered at the District Traffic Police Office, Surkhet on Monday afternoon. Sometimes they only come to the traffic office when they have work, but today the traffic police called them here.

For the first time, the police called the women auto drivers from all over the district to the office, and they were surprised. What to do? When they did not know what to do, they looked enthusiastic when Chief Police Inspector Rohit Shahi of the District Traffic Police Office, Surkhet informed them that a program was organized to understand their problems and take initiatives to solve them.

The program started with an introductory program, and Mukunda Prasad Rijal, Chief of the Nepal Police Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office, Surkhet, said that the program was organized to listen to their complaints. After that, they confidently expressed many of their problems.

Shanti Budha of Birendranagar Municipality-3 complained that the approach to women auto drivers was wrong. She said that she had to hear expressions like ‘When driving an auto on the road, they know what kind of women drive an auto’. ‘Along with passengers, other citizens also look at us with a bad eye,’ she said, ‘We have not received the help we asked for from the police.’

Sushmita BK of Birendranagar Municipality-5 also said that the way they are viewed is different. She said that she has been experiencing things like ‘from asking for a license plate number to asking me to eat lunch together.’ She also complained that passengers are harassing her by taking her license plate number. She also informed that two people who misbehaved were brought to the police office and detained.

‘I have been driving an auto for five years, overcoming various challenges,’ she said, ‘Today’s program of the traffic police, which looks scary from a distance, has given me new energy.’ She also said that for the first time after coming to the traffic program, she felt that she was doing a respected profession. Many participants in the program said that they did not receive support from passengers and the police.

To those who openly expressed their problems, Provincial Traffic Police Chief Rijal said that the program was organized to listen to complaints and encourage women to do risky business by breaking the view of women and men in society. After listening to the complaints of women who have become self-reliant by doing business while taking care of household responsibilities, he expressed his commitment to take initiatives for a solution. He also instructed the police deployed in the field to change their behavior towards female auto drivers. ‘If a police officer or anyone else misbehaves with you, please inform them,’ he said, ‘I will go to the field myself if I get close. If you call, I will bring the police officer or anyone else to justice.’

Stating that traffic rules should be followed, he suggested not to travel at risk. He also urged not to carry more passengers than the capacity. ‘We are always ready for the coordination and cooperation that the police must do,’ he said. Stating that there should be unity against those with wrong ideas, Rijal also said that the police are always with women auto drivers.

The women auto drivers had informed that there was a problem with parking and route permits in Birendranagar. The police have committed to coordinating with the municipality for this.

Auto driver Shanta Pariyar has been assigned to coordinate with the traffic police and facilitate the problems of drivers. Police Inspector Shahi said that he will coordinate with the women auto drivers and take their problems to the police.