12 transpersons to assume charge on PM Modi's visit

CHENNAI: As many as 12 transpersons will assume duties on Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Washermenpet - Wimco Nagar stretch of Chennai Metro Phase 1 Extension. They will take charges as ticket operating managers, crowd control personnel and parking ticket operators.

The line between Washermanpet and Wimco Nagar has eight new stations - New Washermanpet, Toll Gate, Kaladipet, Thiruvottiyur, Thiruvottiyur Theradi, Theagaraya College, Tondiarpet and Wimco Nagar. The project of creating equal opportunities for transpersons has been under planning.

In fact New Washermanpet will entirely be run by the transpersons, said Steevez Rodriguez, Creative Head, PeriFerry. PeriFerry, in collaboration with Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, Sahodaran and Thozhi, conducted a month-long training for those who were deployed in the CMRL project.

Jaya from Sahodaran told Express, the opportunities were created through the initiative of TANSACS which facilitated the training. “We mobilised the trainees, PeriFerry conducted the training and TANSACS provided the space and opportunity for this,” she said adding that the staff is composed of trans men, trans women and persons who are yet to undergo transition surgeries. “They were trained on-site and provided the specific skill set,” said Jaya.