For the first time in the past 75 years, a woman driver drove the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) public transport bus on Thursday. She drove the bus from the Central Bus Stand to Sillod and back along the same route. The passengers were astonished to see a woman driver driving a bus. This notable achievement belongs to Rama Gaikwad, who became the first woman driver/conductor to handle a bus in this way.
For the past three years, women appointed as drivers/conductors have faced significant challenges. They were restricted to working solely as conductors and were not given the opportunity to drive. Lokmat Times reported on this issue, bringing it to public attention. In response to the news, the MSRTC administration acknowledged the problem and devised a plan to provide opportunities for women drivers.
At 11:30 am, Gaikwad took charge as the driver of a bus departing from the Central Bus Stand, accompanied by conductor Rohini Khedkar. The bus transported a total of 60 passengers to Sillod, and later, it carried 21 passengers to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on the return journey.
Gaikwad mentioned that she felt a little unsure at first since it was her first time driving, but eventually, everything went well. She shared that it made her incredibly proud and happy to have this experience.