TIRUPATI: Braving numerous challenges, personal and professional, these women have taken the track less taken and remain committed and determined in their job of track maintainers, with more focus and result-oriented efforts than their male counterparts.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, TNIE interacted with three women railway gang workers at Renigunta Railway Station, where they work under demanding conditions.
They work in isolated, abandoned areas far from the railway station, covering at least 10 km a day by foot to maintain the railway tracks to ensure safety of thousands of passengers.
Their work includes greasing, clearing debris, and inspecting the track condition which is infested with snakes, scorpions, and other hazardous creatures while clearing overgrowth.
G Chandramma, a 57-year-old woman working as Railway Track Maintainer since 1993 , shared her journey: “I joined as a track maintainer in 1993, without any formal education, on a temporary basis following my husband’s sudden death. Since then, I have never looked back despite the difficulties. I had no professional skills at first, but I learned through experience. I have one son, and he’s now looking for a job. For the past 30 years, I have worked among men, balancing both my personal and professional life.”
She proudly recalled that five years ago, their track maintenance gang was awarded for best service by the DRM of Gunthakal.
“My only wish is to see my son settled before I retire,” she added.
R Nandini, an unmarried woman working as a Railway Track Maintainer since 2016, explained her motivation: “I got this job after my father retired. I had completed my BA and was teaching, but I switched to this job to support my family. I have to take care of my parents and siblings. Recently, I settled my sister’s marriage, and now I am focusing on finding a job for my brother and getting him married. I haven’t thought about my own marriage yet.”
She shared that her workday runs from 7 am to 9 pm, and once on the track, she focuses entirely on her duties. “We women work alongside men, and our work is just as result-oriented, following our superiors’ orders. Even when facing adverse conditions, we remain patient and dedicated.”
Jyothi Kumari Ram, an unmarried woman from West Bengal, who joined the railway as a Track Maintainer in 2023, sharing her experience, said, “I am from Kanchar Pada, a village in West Bengal. It’s tough being away from my family, seeing them only once every six months. I joined the railway through the Group D recruitment. My original dream was to join the defence forces, but I couldn’t due to height restrictions. However, I find the railway job safe, and I passed the written exam to get this position. I completed my ITI and am now pursuing my graduation through distance learning. Despite the difficulties of living alone, I continue working professionally and personally, as this job is important for me.”
She emphasised that she and her female colleagues work just as diligently as their male counterparts, following all departmental guidelines and resolving difficulties internally when needed.
These women are proof that determination and resilience can break barriers, even in traditionally male-dominated sectors like railway track maintenance.