Empowering Women & Transgender Persons Behind the Wheel for a Safer, Inclusive City!

Bengaluru’s rapid urban growth has brought to the forefront three closely linked challenges: the demand for efficient last-mile urban mobility, the need for safe and reliable travel for women, and the absence of inclusive livelihood opportunities for women and transgender persons. Although auto-rickshaws are a vital part of the city’s transport system, women and transgender individuals remain largely excluded from this workforce—impacting both commuter safety and access to dignified employment.

Of the city’s 1,75,000 auto-rickshaws, only about 400 are driven by women, representing just 0.22% of the total workforce. Addressing these interconnected challenges is critical to building a city that is inclusive, safe, and responsive to the needs of all citizens.

In response, B.PAC designed the Women & Transgenders Auto Driving Skills Training Programme as an integrated solution addressing mobility, safety, and livelihood inclusion. The programme equips women and transgender persons with professional driving skills, road safety awareness, licensing support, and financial and digital capabilities—enabling sustainable livelihoods while strengthening safe, accessible, and people-friendly last-mile connectivity across Bengaluru.

Our Donors

Supported by CGI through its CSR initiative, and by Ms. Chitra Talwar and Ms. Mimi Parthasarathy, the program reflects the strength of collaborative and purpose driven action. With this collective support, B.PAC has set an ambitious vision to train over 5,000 women auto drivers by 2030. The initiative aims to expand safe livelihood opportunities for women while contributing to a more inclusive, equitable, and people centric Bengaluru, where mobility and economic participation are accessible to all.

Implementation Partners

Namma Sarathi Trust is a Bengaluru-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering drivers, with a special focus on women. The Trust works to create dignified livelihood opportunities by identifying women beneficiaries and supporting them through every step of their journey to become professional drivers.

Objectives

Enable dignified and sustainable livelihood opportunities for economically vulnerable women and transgender individuals.
Enhance the representation and visibility of women and transgender auto drivers in Bengaluru’s transport sector.
Strengthen safety, trust, and passenger confidence in last-mile public transport, particularly for women commuters.

Build participants’ technical, digital, and financial capacities to support long-term economic independence.
Facilitate access to licensing, vehicle ownership or leasing, and affordable credit.
Position women and transgender auto drivers as safety advocates and community role models.

Target Beneficiaries

Our program is delivered through a high-quality "Master Trainer" model, ensuring standardised, impactful instruction. To keep our “Rakshakas” engaged, we utilise a vibrant, cartoon-style creative strategy. By translating complex topics like “Climate Resilience” into relatable, hopeful imagery, we move students away from “climate anxiety” and towards “climate agency”.

Single mothers
Widows
Domestic workers
Blue-collar and informal sector workers
Transgender persons

By prioritising these groups, the programme promotes financial independence, dignity of work, and long-term livelihood security for communities often excluded from formal economic opportunities.

Methodology

Duration: 45–60 days
Classroom instruction combined with hands-on driving practice
Peer learning, mentoring, and expert-led sessions
Ongoing assessments and structured post-training support

Engagement & Community Building

Support in accessing free and subsidised auto-rickshaw schemes from GBA, OBC, SC/ST, and Minority Boards
Rental and fuel assistance, along with linkages to credit and seed funding
Regular health camps and community engagement programme

Active collaboration with MLAs and MPs to secure State and Central Government support
Strengthening peer networks through mentorship and shared learning
Continued capacity-building, awareness, and empowerment initiatives to sustain livelihoods

Assembly Constituencies Covered

The Women & Transgenders Auto Driving Skills Training Programme has been implemented across multiple Bengaluru Assembly Constituencies, ensuring decentralised outreach, strong local ownership, and meaningful community engagement. Each launch was anchored in the respective constituency to build visibility, trust, and support among elected representatives, institutions, and local communities.

BTM Layout Assembly Constituency

B.PAC, with the support of CGI, launched the BTM Layout Batch under the Women & Transgender Auto Drivers Training Program in Bengaluru, in the presence of Hon’ble Transport Minister Shri Ramalinga Reddy and senior representatives from CGI, during which B.PAC also requested the Minister’s support in providing free autos for women drivers, a proposal he assured would be taken forward for discussion and consideration in the upcoming State Budget.

Dasarahalli Assembly Constituency

Shanthinagar Assembly Constituency

B.PAC, with the support of CGI, launched the program in the Shanthinagar Assembly Constituency, in the presence of Chief Guest Shri N. A. Harris, Chairman, BDA & Hon’ble MLA, along with distinguished guests including Ms. Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar, Ms. Lakshmi Ganesh, Ms. Revathy Ashok, and other key partners and stakeholders.

Over 200+ women participated in the launch event, reflecting strong interest and demand for the programme within the constituency.

Rajajinagar Assembly Constituency

A dedicated launch event was organised in Rajajinagar Assembly Constituency, with the participation of:

Shri Suresh Kumar S, Former Education Minister and Hon’ble MLA, Rajajinagar
Ms. Anisha Bhandari, Member, B.PAC
Ms. Mimi Parthasarathy, Member, B.PAC
Ms. Chitra Talwar, Member, B.PAC

Malleshwaram & Rajajinagar Assembly Constituencies

A joint launch for Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar Assembly Constituencies was held on Saturday, 12 July 2025, at BWSSB Bhavan, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru.

The event was attended by:

Ms. Shobha Karandlaje...
Ms. Mimi Parthasarathy...
Ms. Chitra Talwar...
Ms. Srividya Natraj...
Ms. Sarika Pradhan...

Policy Engagement & Institutional Support

B.PAC actively engages with elected representatives and senior government officials across constituencies to secure sustained policy and institutional support for the programme.

Key engagements include:

B.PAC met with Hon’ble Union Minister of State Ms. Shobha Karandlaje, MP Bengaluru North, to discuss key amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act impacting auto rickshaw drivers’ licensing policies.during the meeting, B.PAC also sought the Minister’s support in enabling women auto drivers to access vehicles, aiming to strengthen inclusive livelihood opportunities and improve policy support for the sector.

• Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Hon’ble Transport Minister, Government of Karnataka & MLA, BTM Layout

• Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayana, Former Deputy Chief Minister & MLA, Malleshwaram Assembly Constituency

Enabling Access to Vehicles & Government Schemes

• A meeting was held with Shri Maheshwar Rao, IAS, Commissioner, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), to request free auto-rickshaws for B.PAC-trained women drivers.

• B.PAC also collaborated with Shri Sampath Raj, Chairman, Ambedkar Development Corporation, to facilitate free auto-rickshaws for SC/ST women beneficiaries.

• Engagement with Shri Yogeesh A. M., IAS, Transport Commissioner, focused on streamlining licensing and operational support for women auto drivers.