Agra: All-woman staff runs electric train for a day

AGRA: On the occasion of International Women's Day, Agra railway division handed over a train 's operation for one day to an all-woman staff. At 4:15 pm, the 10-coach Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) was flagged off for New Delhi. It comprised eight women staff, including three TTEs, three RPF constables, one loco-pilot and one guard.

Speaking with TOI, additional divisional railway manager, Dilip Kumar Singh of Agra division , said, "We neither believe in gender inequality nor do we discriminate among our staff. Both women and men work together as a team with responsibility as per their ability and performance. Since March 8, is observed as International Women's Day across the globe, we gave a train operation to only women staff for a day as a token of gesture."

While, assistant commercial manager S K Srivastav said, "The move was about empowering women. It is a small step. In the near future, such train operations might get regular when an-woman staff will operate trains." "At present, there is miniscule strength of women in Agra division, though they are working in almost every department, such as loco-pilot, guard, security, train control operation, train ticket examiner and also in the commercial department," said another official.