Delhi, 9PM And I Was Looking For An Auto But Everyone Refused, Until I Found A Solution…

“I have just reached Green Park, mom, I’ll take an auto and reach by 9”, I said to mom speaking over the phone while managing myself out of the crowded metro from Gurgaon.

The distance from Green Park metro station to my place is just about 15 minutes, but I accounted for the time it will take me to find an auto and said 9. As I adjusted my handbag on the shoulder and wore the laptop bag on my sleeve, I walked out of the metro station.

There were about 7-8 auto wallahs standing just outside the station. One by one, I approached them to ask “bhaiya GK-1 jaenge?” to which some gave me a clear “NO”, while for some it was a botheration to even speak and hence just gave a disinterested look. The clock was ticking and I was walking back and forth to find an auto and get home on the chilly February night. Autos kept coming and stopping, getting divided into the “not interested” category to “only Hauz Khas & Gautam Nagar” to “being taken by other people”.

It was now 9:00 pm, and I had walked quite ahead of the station feeling angry and irritated, deciding in my mind of paining my legs and walking home. People on the road did not spare me from their looks of “oh, why is this girl walking alone on the road, and cars with windows rolling down to pass a look. Boiling with anger, I stopped at a red light having traced a vacant auto.

I was met with refusal once again, but by now I wasn’t ready for a “no”. Fortunately, it was a new auto and I was suddenly reminded of the auto helpline number. Since it was a red light, the auto could not run away and I called up the helpline in no time.

I had no expectation of anyone picking up the complaint call and just thought of it as a measure to make the auto give me a ride. However, not just the auto was ready to be going suddenly, but the helpline also turned out to be pretty active. I was just asked the auto number, and the location and the auto was instructed to take me home by the meter. It did not just end there, I was asked if I wish to impose a challan on the auto and complain against his license.

At times, the system is in place and active, but we are just not aware of it. Most of the autos you see have rubbed off these helpline numbers but the sad part is that we have still not learned from the brutal Nirbhaya rape case.

Stay aware, stay safe.

Auto Helpline Numbers:

011-42400400/ 1095/ 011-25844444

Cover Image by Reuben Stanton on Flickr