Undeterred lady auto driver breaks age and gender barrier
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 04 2020: Oinam Laibi, a woman autorickshaw driver in her early 50s is setting an example that gender and age don't influence the ability to work.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, O Laibi (53) stated that she bought her auto which was a second-hand, at Rs 1,30,000 by saving the little amount she got from working in a brickfield.

"At first, I hired a driver at the rate of Rs 250 per day to operate the passenger service but since he wasn't punctual, I started to drive the auto myself from 2011 onwards," O Laibi said and added that she learnt to drive the three-wheeler vehicle in her free time at home.

Laibi said that she first operated her service from Khundrakpam to Nagamapal and vice versa.

Oinam Laibi, a woman autorickshaw driver

Saying that she can save about Rs 700 to 800 a day after deducting all the expenditure, Laibi continued that she bought a new autorickshaw which cost Rs 2 lakh and 57 thousand by taking a loan from Panthoibi Housing about two years back.

"I used to repay Rs 4,000 per month to Panthoibi Housing for the loan but due to the lockdown the process has been put on hold," she added.

It may be mentioned that the lady auto driver had recently volunteered to take a girl (nurse), who recovered from COVID-19 to her village in Kamjong district as no taxi or ambulance were willing to take the task.

Speaking about the event, Oinam Laibi said that the journey from Khuman Lampak to Skip Village in Kamjong took about 8 hours (6 pm to 2 am) .

The journey was not at all pleasant as the conditions of the road was too pathetic, apart from fog affecting my vision, the lady driver said and added that she was stopped at Litan by the police posted there for checking.

The Officer in Charge of the Station encouraged me after the entire story was narrated to him, she said and added that she was stopped by State police in different areas before they reached their destination.

O Laibi also said that the family members of the girl happily gave the transportation fee (Rs 5,000) that she had asked.

Apart from arranging a meal for us, the family even gifted me some vegetables, she said and added that she along with his husband headed home in the same morning without taking a break.

Even though I'm now undergoing home quarantine, I go to field for agricultural work after taking due approval from the local club and Meira Paibi, she added.

Meena Longjam had directed a documentary film entitled Auto Driver which tells the story of Laibi Oinam.

The film won many awards such as best social issue film in the non feature category at the 63 rd National Film Awards in 2015 and best short documentary at the 2017 Women's Voices New Film Festival.