International Women’s Day: Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai special Deccan Queen to be run by women staff on Mar 8

Mumbai: In order to mark the International Women’s Day, in a first of its kind initiative, the Central Railway (CR) has planned to deploy all women staffs for the Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen on the March 8. A senior railway official said they will be having only one run of the train with the women staff in a train that departs from Mumbai in the evening.

CR has already been awarded for its step to appoint an all-women staff for Matunga station. “We are working toward women empowerment and this initiative will help them to promote women staff in a major way in the railway,” said

Apart from the ticket checking staff, the CR will also deploy women personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF). “Finding TTEs and RPF staff is not a major issue. However, we will have to identify woman Loco Pilot, Assistant Pilot and Guard. However, this too may not be much of an issue,” said SK Jain, Division Railway Manager (DRM), CR.

Also Read: Mumbai: Makeover for AC local trains ahead of International Women’s Day

Last year on March 8, Central Railway ran a ladies’ special local train from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) to Panvel. The train was boarded by all women-crew consisting of a motor woman, guard, Ticket Checker and Railway Protection Force (RPF). Motorman Surekha Yadav piloted the train while the guard was Shweta Ghone. After Matunga, North Western Railways (NWR) deployed female employees for every single post in Jaipur’s Gandhinagar station. Helpdesk will be kept at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on March 8 where women staff will be sitting and will help the commuters. “The female passengers are welcomed to give their suggestions like what changes they want in trains which can help them and they can also tell their problems to the women staff who will be sitting at the help desk,” said SK Jain.