Ranchi: The Ranchi railway division put women staff in charge of key roles at Ranchi and Hatia stations on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day.From the station master’s office to the ticket booking counters and enquiry desks, women employees managed the overall functioning of the stations, symbolising the growing presence and contribution of women in Indian Railways.A 31-member women’s team controlled the functions at Ranchi station and a passenger train to Irgaon in Lohardaga, while an eight-member team handled the work at Hatia station on Sunday.
The railway division’s chief public relations officer (CPRO), Shuchi Singh, said, “To mark the day, the division took a unique initiative. Although many women in Indian Railways already serve in prominent positions, we took this initiative to symbolise women power on Women’s Day.”“From women travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) at the gates to Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel ensuring safety on the platforms, all work was done by women employees,” Singh said.The special passenger train from Ranchi station to Irgaon, operated by an all-women crew, was flagged off at 8:30 am from platform 1. Loco pilot Dipali Amrit, an assistant loco pilot, four RPF personnel, and five TTEs coordinated the train journey of around 55 km to Irgaon.“The passenger train is a lifeline for travellers between Ranchi and Lohardaga. Hundreds of passengers commute daily on the train, and an all-woman team controlling the operations of such an important passenger train on this special day is really significant,” the CPRO said.Before the train started its journey, Singh gifted roses to the women employees and greeted them.Dipali, who is the first woman loco pilot of the railway division, said, “Although I manage train operations along with male counterparts on other days, managing one entirely with a women workforce feels very different. It instils renewed encouragement and reaffirms the belief that women are also capable of performing important work with confidence.”