All-women crew operates Patna Saheb station

PATNA: The Patna Saheb railway station, which falls under Danapur division of the East Central Railway (ECR), was operated by an all-women team on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Friday.

While Sonam Kumari took charge as station master, Mamta and Anjali worked as the support staff to give clearance to the incoming or passing passenger trains at Patna Saheb station. Sarika Kumari worked as a ticket collector whereas Lovely Raj and Anju Kumari were busy checking tickets either on platforms.

Sarika and Ranju were given charge of the railway inquiry and announcing system. The duo gave details of arrival and departure of passenger trains to passengers. Similarly, Rekha Gupta, Neeta, Sonali, Anjali Sinha, Suman and Shakuntala managed the reservation and booking offices smoothly.

Danapur RPF commandant C M Mishra said, “Women manned the RPF post at the station. They carried out an intensive security check on platforms and inside the coaches of passenger trains. They also put up banners and posters to create awareness about safety measures among women passengers.”

Danapur DRM Ranjan Prakash Thakur told this reporter that women staff in the division were more capable of discharging their duties efficiently and honestly. “Women have proved their mettle in every field,” he said.

ECR’s Women Welfare Organization celebrated the day at Hajipur and lauded the efforts of women railway staff.

Meanwhile, the air traffic control office, communication navigation surveillance and electrical and civil departments were run by women staff at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport on Friday. While women CISF personnel were deployed for security, different airline counters were also managed by women staff.