Online marketplace Amazon India has launched what it calls the country’s first women-only delivery station in Thiruvananthapuram.
The second such station will be set up in Chennai soon, followed by a third in Kochi, according to Samuel Thomas, Director, Transportation, Amazon India.
Amazon India proposes to engage with women, create uniquely relevant job opportunities and enable them to be achievers, Thomas said.
These dedicated delivery stations will through their service partners be run and managed by women.
They will deliver packages on two-wheelers covering a radius of two to three km from the delivery station.
There are plans to offer the women self-defence classes for their safety during work hours beginning at 7 am and ending at 5.30 pm.
A dedicated helpline number will also be created for them to dial in for any support needed during the day.
“We have 100 cities that we serve with service partner entrepreneurs. We found that there are women who would like partner us in transportation activities,” Thomas said.
It is normally a very male-dominated environment but Amazon India found a “nice environment in Thiruvananthapuram” where people welcomed the idea.
“We also spoke to our service partner groups there; they also accepted the idea. Our next experiment is in Chennai and then we will probably go to Kochi soon after,” Thomas said.