KATHMANDU, May 16: In a city where people are consciously riling against violence against women through graffiti, flash mobs, street protests, Facebook campaigns and tweets, issues of security still weighs heavily on the minds of women in more ways than one.
Newly operated Sajha Yatayat has opened new doors by providing employment to female conductors. Prior to starting its service, Sajha called for applicants in newspapers, asking specifically for female drivers and conductors to apply. According to the Executive Officer of the organization, Padam Lall Maharjan, there was no response the first time, so they had to advertise again.
Although no female drivers with the required credentials: SLC degree and C (tempo, auto rickshaw) or G (truck, bus, and lorry) category of driving license, were at hand, six women did join the Sajha team as ´Mahila Parichalika´.
Currently, five female conductors work 48 hours a week, with some of them taking up extra shifts to work overtime.
On a workday, Renuka, Srijana Nepal Parajuli and Namita Thapa, who had just finished their 7-hour shift and were submitting the proceeds of the ticket sales at Sajha´s central office in Pulchowk, were discussing with their male counterparts if ´khalasi´ was a derogatory term. One of them said, “Addressing us as khalasi doesn´t wreck our reputation.”
Each one of them has to fill the logbook with details such as number and types of tickets sold. After the paperwork, they hand the cash over to those who handle the desk.
The procedure is a long one and though it looks hectic for an outsider, it does ensure efficiency and accountability.
After submitting the sheet, Renuka heads off to the duty section, where a wall was partly covered with printed A4s of bus routes and shift schedules.
Srijana Nepal Parajuli, 27, used to be a Nepali teacher in Sindhupalchowk, teaching up to class eight. Four years ago, she came to Kathmandu with her husband and two children and started working as an office help at Araniko Press.
“After we saw the vacancy in Sajha in a newspaper, I and my husband felt we should try for the job,” says Parajuli, whose husband now works as a driver for Sajha Yatayat.
Namita Thapa, 22, who was supposed to appear in the Plus 2 exam this year, had to sideline her education to help her family through financial problems. She had been looking for a job for a while when her friends suggested that they all apply for the vacancy positions at Sajha.
“Although I had never thought I´d one day be working as a conductor, I grew up hearing about Sajha buses and jumped at the opportunity,” says Thapa who applied for the position with a friend and both of them are now working day shifts.
Similarly, Krishnamaya Poudel´s brother advised her to come to Kathmandu for the job. Poudel, 30, who had been working as a community worker for the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage in her hometown Bardibas, Mahottari came to Kathmandu to take up this job. Her husband, too, works as a conductor at Sajha.
Staying out late is “dangerous” for women folks, let alone working late hours. Considering the risk, no female conductors are currently working night shifts.
Although there are close circuit CCTV cameras installed in all the buses, it is no guarantee that women conductors would not have to deal drunk or delinquent people.
Sajha EO Maharjan cites this risk as a hindrance to their attempt to empower women.
“If we have enough female staff in the future, we will definitely encourage them to take up night shifts. For now, we are not entirely sure it would be safe to do that,” he said.
As regular passengers of public transport, we dread the idea of missing the last micro home. Cases of pick pocketing and sexual harassment inside jam packed vehicles are stories often heard.
In retrospect, Sajha buses are much safer compared to other public transports in Kathmandu. With only 15 people standing on a 55-seater bus, much safety can be guaranteed for passengers and female conductors. Namita says she wouldn´t have taken up a conductor´s job in any other public bus. She adds, “Sajha bus is a legacy and I think people appreciate the service. It is also safer for us women to work because not more than 15 people can stand and there´s a lot of space. I think people respect Sajha and wouldn´t ever think of vandalizing the seats or spitting, like it happens in other vehicles.”
Similarly, Krishnamaya says she hasn´t had any bad experiences with any passengers till now and hopes she doesn´t have to go through difficult incidents in future as well. “Being a woman, I cannot imagine working as a conductor in other public transports, except Sajha. With the way so many people crammed in, there´s hardly any space for the conductor to stand,” she said.
An interesting incident occurred in one of the Sajha buses a few weeks back. A woman passenger left her bag with a huge amount of cash in it. The female conductor kept the bag and returned it to the woman it belonged after CCTV footage confirmed the woman´s claim.
The ´safe´ job is also a job that pays these women well. Although none of them had completed a month of work, the women hesitated in stating the exact amount but seemed content with the amount they would get paid. “The salary is something like Rs 6,200, plus we also get a daily allowance of Rs 150,” shared Srijana Nepal Parajuli.
EO Maharjan said the organization has set the salary keeping the labor laws in mind. “We´re a semi-government organization and we have made sure our employees get the privileges they deserve,” he added.
Sajha and its women conductors have dared to debunk the gender stereotypes and store labor dignity. Hope both can stand the test of time and the city´s rugged ways.
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