‘Gateway ki Rani’ donned several hats before driving a Kali Peeli in Mumbai

Reminiscing her first day on the job, Sarika tells The Indian Express, “I started my day at 8.30 am but I did not get a passenger until 2 pm, may be because they were not used to seeing a woman driving a Kali-Peeli. Finally, a woman came in and I ferried her to Matunga. She was so happy to see me that she even gave me an extra tip. I have not stopped since…”

A native of Solapur, Sarika was a minor when she was orphaned and was married off later. After her first child, she took up the cudgels to shoulder the responsibility of helping her husband, a tempo driver by profession.

A native of Solapur, Sarika was a minor when she was orphaned and was married off later. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

From working in sugarcanes fields to working as a labourer on road projects, the 34-year-old donned many hats before arriving in Mumbai 10 years ago, in quest of better prospects. Her search led her to do several odd jobs but “something was amiss”.

“After six months of searching, one person asked me if I would be keen on driving for work. This chance encounter changed my life. Initially I had no plans to drive a taxi. Then, he helped me apply to a driving school and get my licence,” added Randive.

Within a year, she had a commercial licence but it was only in 2022, that she ferried her first customer — a delay induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two years since her first trip, Sarika has now gained the moniker of “Gateway chi Rani (queen of Gateway)”, thanks to her frequent trips to and from the tourist favourite. “All the male taxi drivers are my friends now. They help and encourage me all the time.”

About her occasional detractors, Sarika adds, “Some people ask me why I don’t sit at home… I just ask them — will you run my home for me then?”

From working in sugarcanes fields to working as a labourer on road projects, the 34-year-old donned many hats before arriving in Mumbai 10 years ago. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

It is not an easy job for her. Living in Ulwe, she starts her day at 5 am. After completing household chores, cooking and packing lunches for her family comprising her husband and three children, she opens for business at 9 am and works for 12 hours.

“Initially, I used to be concerned about the type of person taking my cab. Now I am more confident. Besides feeling unsafe, another problem that I face as a female driver is the lack of public toilets,” she says.

However, she is grateful that the job helped her to be more confident. “I also bought a small one RK flat in Ulwe using my savings,” she adds.

Sarika Randive teaches her children after coming back home from work. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

While Sarika stands out, women largely elude the job of a taxi driver. According to Shashank Rao, the trade union leader for autorickshaws and taxis, the number of female autorickshaw drivers is much higher than taxis.

“Their number is also higher in second-tier cities and small towns as most of them live there and prefer working nearby. Another reason for women not being in riding taxis could be that Kali-Peeli permits were earlier frozen some 25 – 30 years ago,” he said.