Bengaluru: The city is set to roll out a women-only auto service, ‘Sakhi’, on February 14, offering safer and more comfortable travel for women passengers with women drivers behind the wheel.

The initiative addresses ongoing safety concerns for women commuters using conventional ride-hailing services such as taxis and autos. Operating on a ride-hailing model, Sakhi is exclusively managed by women and is designed to create a secure and reliable transport option. A trial run conducted in January recorded around 17 rides within a week.

The concept was inspired by founder Krishnavi Parekh’s personal travel experiences while studying and working in Mumbai, where she observed that many women feel unsafe, especially during late-night travel. The platform aims to provide a women-centric mobility solution tailored to these concerns.

Sakhi will operate daily from 6 am to midnight, with plans to extend to 24-hour services depending on demand. Unlike many ride-hailing platforms, it will not use surge pricing. The minimum fare is Rs 50 for the first two kilometres, with an additional Rs 20 per kilometre thereafter.

Bookings can currently be made through the web platform or via WhatsApp, while a dedicated mobile app is under development.

At launch, the platform has onboarded 50 women drivers aged between 21 and 40, all with prior driving experience. Drivers currently receive the full fare earnings, though a commission-based model may be introduced later. The service also plans to include trans women drivers as part of its future expansion.