International Women's Day: Indian railways put women in the forefront

In a first kind initiative, Indian Railways has deployed an all-women ticket checking staff on Mumbai Central- Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express on Thursday.

This initiative was taken keeping International Women's Day in mind.

The train left at 06:25 am.

Today, on #WomensDay, delighted to see an all-women crew during my travel. In Railways too, we have deployed ticket checking staff on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express, an all-women crew in Pune-Baramati Special & at various railway stations including Matunga & Gandhinagar. pic.twitter.com/PqKL8T9lNS

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) March 8, 2018

Indian Railways has taken several other initiatives - the recent one being Maninagar Station in Gujarat, which will be run by an all-women staff on Friday.

Keeping in mind women's health issues, Mumbai Central-New Delhi Rajdhani Express is set to become India's first ever train to have a Sanitary Pad Vending Machine onboard.

Moreover, Matunga Railway Station in the Mumbai Division of Central Railway, in January this year, has made it to the Limca Book of Records 2018 for being run exclusively by women staffers.

पश्चिम रेल्वेचा नारी शक्तीला सलाम! All Women staff at Matunga Road Station of WR. Determined & Dedicated. #SheInspiresMe #internationalwomensday2018 pic.twitter.com/pnYX8rvxL1

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) March 8, 2018

#SheInspiresMe Service with a smile! All Women ticket checking staff of WR's Mumbai Central - Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express on #internationalwomensday2018 greeted women commuters onboard. They were encouraged further by presence of Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager Smt Arti Parihar pic.twitter.com/AS2Y2atoRb

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) March 8, 2018

Example of grit, determination & strength! That's what the women porters (coolies) of Bhavnagar stationare made of. We salute them #NariShakti4NewIndia #Railways4Women #WomensDay pic.twitter.com/mRsOYsfNew

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) March 8, 2018

Railway women employees are taking up challenging roles of Gang women, Gate women, Supervisors, porters. #SheInspiresMe #NariShakti4NewIndia pic.twitter.com/5vbkOiwegz

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 8, 2018

Central Railway (CR) too deployed all-women staff on the popular Deccan Queen Express train that runs between Mumbai and Pune. 

"The Central Railway has decided to run the prestigious Deccan Queen Express between Mumbai and Pune by deploying an All Women Crew tomorrow to commemorate the International Women's Day," S K Jain, Divisional Railway Manager of Mumbai division of CR, said on Wednesday.

Asia's first woman train driver Surekha Yadav was to pilot the express and senior assistant loco pilot Trushna Joshi was to assist her.

Sweta Ghone was given the honour to work as on-duty guard of the Deccan Queen and she gave clearance by waving the green flag on the Women's Day.

Jain also said that from Thursday, train No. 11029 DN Koyna Express and train no. 11008 UP Deccan Express will permanently have women ticket-checking staff.

(With Agencies Input)