‘I now earn ₹40,000 a month’: How women are riding autos and bikes to build livelihoods in Telangana

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.

First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.

Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.

Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers

Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there

The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.

Telangana Director General of Police, C. V. Anand along with Women and Child Development Department Secretary Anita Ramachandran, Director General of Police (Women Safety Wing) Charu Sinha, Commissioner of Transport, K. Ilambarithi and others at the launch of the ‘Stree Ride’ — women driver’s livelihood project in Hyderabad on Saturday (June 06, 2026) | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Today, she earns more than ₹40,000 a month as a delivery rider with a logistics company and says the transformation has been about far more than money. “I feel very proud of myself. I can financially support my family and my children. My children are proud of me too,” she said.

Sarla is among dozens of women whose lives have been reshaped by training programmes that have enabled them to enter professions long dominated by men. On Saturday, their journeys took centre stage as the Telangana Women Safety Wing formally launched Stree Ride, an initiative aimed at training and employing women as drivers and riders in the transportation and mobility sector.

The programme was launched at the State Police Headquarters in Lakdikapul, Hyderabad, where Telangana Director General of Police C.V. Anand flagged off 50 electric bikes and five electric autos that will be operated by women riders and drivers.

Under the first phase of Stree Ride, 55 women received driver training and employment support through partnerships with mobility service providers and aggregators. The programme aims to connect women with opportunities in passenger transportation, while also expanding into logistics, cargo and delivery services.

Officials said the initiative is designed not only to create jobs but also to challenge stereotypes around women’s abilities, increase female participation in the workforce and encourage more women to pursue non-traditional careers.

Ameena, who has spent the past five years working as an auto driver, primarily in the delivery sector, said the profession had given her the freedom to shape her own life. “M