Before the commencement of the 2008 Olympic Games, taxi drivers in Beijing underwent rigorous training, where, among other things, they were told not to eat garlic in order to prevent bad breath and were given strict instructions about colour coordinated uniforms.

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2010, autorickshaw drivers are also being given similar lessons in etiquette. Don’t smoke bidis while passengers are onboard and learn English — these are just some of the lessons being imparted in preparation for the Games.

Deepak Kumar, a migrant from Bihar, has been an autorickshaw driver in the Capital for the last six years. The sole breadwinner of his family, Deepak says driving around the city’s busy roads has taken its toll on him. Training sessions organised by the Delhi Traffic Police are, however, helping him see his profession in a new light.

“I always thought of driving an autorickshaw as a way of making money and not as a profession. Now, I’m being told I need to behave like any other office-goer, where my behaviour with my customers or the maintenance of my vehicle has an impact on my image,” Deepak said while at a training session in Punjabi Bagh on Saturday afternoon.

“The work pressure and desire to earn more makes every autorickshaw driver a little insensitive. But this session made me realise that a small effort towards behaving better with customers and honesty will not only help the customers but also save us from burning ourselves out,” he said.

Pankaj Singh, for whom the last ten years of autorickshaw driving have been far from lucrative, however, felt the session was rather one-sided. “While it’s completely fair to behave well and not overcharge but how much money do we make if we are fair? It’s only with foreigners that we make some extra money by overcharging. At least we are not being unfair with our own people,” Singh said candidly. “After driving on these choked roads, who doesn’t lose patience? It’s then that we start speeding and try to cater to more customers during working hours,” he said.

“But I don’t deny the fact that understanding on our part is also required, and maybe if the government helps us by increasing our fares, I am sure there will be a better response to such training sessions. Only then will we be able to get over our petty worries about money and focus on customer care a little more,” Singh said.

The sessions, organised for instilling discipline, good behaviour and a strong sense of customer care among autorickshaw drivers, are aimed at projecting Delhi in a favourable light in the long term.

“We are conducting sessions every Saturday and have received a good response from the autorickshaw drivers over the last two weeks. Over 200 of them attended sessions on safe driving, stress management and good behaviour. These sessions are being conducted zone-wise so that drivers are able to take time off from their schedule to attend the lectures,” ACP (Road Safety) Ramesh Kaushik said.

Sub inspectors Satpal and Radheshyam delivered lectures on how to cast a good impression on customers to over 30 drivers listening with rapt attention. “There were a few Blueline bus drivers whose rash driving gave the entire fleet of DTC buses a bad name as well. We should be careful and not repeat such mistakes,” SI Satpal told the drivers assembled at the Traffic Training Park in Punjabi Bagh. “Discipline is important in every sphere of life, be it at home or while at work. Just as you wouldn’t smoke or drink in front of your children, as it would have an impact on your image in front of them, you shouldn’t do it in front of your customers too, for the same reasons,” he said.

Comparing an autorickshaw driver’s day to that of any other professional, Satpal said: “Mobile phones are avoided at most workplaces and if you have to take an urgent call, make sure you stop your vehicle. Most importantly, if you want to relax, don’t sit and gossip or laze around at auto stands, go home. As long as you are on the road, you are on duty and can’t evade work or refuse customers. However, if at night you are leaving for home and don’t wish to be hired, hang an ‘off duty’ board so that you are not approached,” he said.

The training sessions have picked up well and Rajinder Soni, general secretary of the autorickshaw drivers’ union, said it was already showing. “The stress management sessions were of immense help. Most autorickshaw drivers have long working hours and get irritable because of their hectic schedule,” Soni said.

DTC bus drivers and traffic personnel are also being sensitised as part of the training programme.

“We have been conducting sessions at our training school in Nandnagri bus depot for the bus drivers. These are focused more on equipping them with knowledge about the mechanics of vehicles. Road safety and stress management too are high on the agenda,” Inspector Ajay Kumar, who is handling the training project, said.