BENGALURU: The numerous colourful rangolis on Platform 8 of the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (Bengaluru City) railway station made a statement to all passengers on Monday - a young girl flying high, a lady in a happy frame of mind, a train flagged off by women guards with the letters below in bold 'SWR International Women's Day'. The Basava Express which chugged into the platform from Bagalkot decorated with garlands, flowers and plantain stems had a banner in front of the engine proclaiming 'Empowering Women in Indian Railways'.
The train stopped over at KSR station at 10.40 pm to change its diesel engine into an electric loco and the crew too were changed. 20 women comprising a Loco Pilot (LP), an Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP), seven Travelling Ticket Examiners, Railway Protection Force and staff of the Carriage and Works department got on board. Railway staff offered roses to all passengers on board.
The honour of flagging off the train too was done by the ladies this time. Kusuma Hariprasad, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Administration, Debashmita Chattopadhyay Banerjee, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner and Divisional Personnel Manager S. Uma waved the traditional green flag to kickstart the Basava Express towards Mysuru at 11.11 am. Loud cheers and claps from passengers inside the train and those on the platform and countless goodbye waves made it a festive atmosphere indeed.
The stars of the day - LP Sireesha, ALP Mini Mubaraka and guard Richa Mini Tripathi - were pleasantly surprised with the demand for selfies and the numerous congratulations from passengers.
Gajini who has eight years of experience in steering trains, told The New Indian Express, "I feel very proud and great with the response I got today. It is the first time I am given this responsibility and I feel very grateful for this opportunity." Mubaraka added, "It was really a wonderful feeling to be given this honour. I urge more women to enter this profession like us." The guard Tripathi, who was asked to rush from the guard van at one end to the engine to join the train crew for pictures, said, "I feel excited to be part of this all-women team. I am one of the two guards in the Bengaluru Division and I love my job."
Passengers on board were pleased to be ferried by women. K N Poojitha, a homemaker, said, "We should not be surprised at women doing well. Women are really very strong and work much more than men. Working women manage to do both." Another passenger Mahesh Kulkarni said, "Women have literally stormed every field. I am extremely happy to be on board this special train."
A freight train with a three-member women crew left from Channasandra to Jolarpettai. It reached KR Puram at 12.15 pm. LP Ria Nag, ALP Gayathri Krishnan and guard Neha Sharma operated the goods train with empty wagons.