This Mumbai-based cab driver is helping stranded people reach home amid lockdown
Vidya Shelke, who lost her job during the lockdown, has helped more than 150 stranded people reach home with her own, affordable taxi service.
The coronavirus pandemic has put a severe strain on the lives of people, with the lockdown resulting in mass layoffs and unemployment. Many industries including manufacturing units, small-scale businesses, cab services, gymnasiums among others took a severe hit with the implementation of the much-needed lockdown protocols.
One such person who faced the worst of the pandemic is Vidya Shelke, 28, from Mumbai who lost her job after working with prominent cab aggregators. However, she was determined to make her fate take a turnaround.
Vidya Shelke (Image: The Better India)
“I was in my teens when I learnt how to drive a car, and I loved every second of being behind the wheel. So, when the time came to choose a line of work, it was easy — I transformed my passion for driving into a profession,” she told The Better India
A mother of two small children, Vidya started her own taxi service for the disabled, elderly women, and the needy, and has been patrolling around Mumbai’s Mulund area for the last two months. She has already helped more than 150 people return home.
Vidya gave up her studies after Class X, but felt that managing the family with the earning of just one person was becoming difficult. So, she took up many jobs like driving the rickshaw before landing a job at the ride-sharing company.
With two jobs, she could provide a good education to her children while also managing the daily expenses. However, once the lockdown was imposed, she lost her job.
“With the train and bus services shutting down, many were struggling to travel back to their homes. I realised the gravity of the situation and decided to do something about it. My husband already had a car that I was using when on the job, so I took it out, shot a video message announcing my services to those who needed it, and circulated it on social media,” she says.
In a matter of 10 minutes, she began receiving calls for pickups – senior citizens and pregnant women, to families of migrant workers – the cab driver helped them reach their destinations across Maharashtra.
She has also made it mandatory to wear a mask inside the cab, and carried extra masks and a bottle of sanitiser for those who didn’t have one. She would only take two passengers in the back seat of her car, apart from children.
“My social taxi service follows all norms of social distancing. The vehicle is sanitised and I am more than happy to help anyone in need,” Vidya told SheThePeople.
She charges only Rs 12 per kilometre, one way, and provides a return journey if needed as well. She also helped arrange e-passes for her passengers.
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Edited by Kanishk Singh
