Uttar Pradesh Couple Makes Headlines as Bus Driver and Conductor Duo
A Unique Partnership in Bulandshahr
New Delhi: In Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, a husband and wife duo working for the Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation has captured public attention. Their unique roles have sparked conversations across the region. The couple operates a roadways bus from the Loha Depot, where the wife is behind the wheel while the husband manages ticketing for passengers. Observers are often astonished to see a woman driving the bus while her husband handles ticket sales.
The female driver, Vedakumari, is a postgraduate in Sanskrit. Initially preparing for a recruitment exam with the Delhi Police, she shifted her focus to driving after learning about the recruitment of female drivers in the roadways. She decided to take the steering wheel and pursue this new path.
Working Together in the Same Bus
Under the Prime Minister's Skill Development Scheme, Vedakumari trained to become a driver and received heavy vehicle training at the Model Driving Training and Research Institute in Kanpur, supported by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC). Following her training, she spent ten months at the workshop of the Loha Depot. In April 2023, she took the wheel of a roadways bus for the first time, officially becoming a driver for the Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation. Now, she and her husband Mukesh Prajapati work together on the same bus route from Kaushambi to Badaun.
Inspiring Others as a Female Driver
Vedakumari is also a mother to a son and a daughter. Her son, Suryakant, is in 10th grade, while her daughter, Bhavika, is in kindergarten. Currently employed on a contractual basis, she expresses satisfaction with the improved highways, which make driving easier. Over the past year, she has enjoyed the attention from passengers who often take photos or videos of her driving and share them on social media. Vedakumari has become an inspiration for many women looking to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields.