An all-women crew operated a passenger train on the Ranchi–Irgaon route in Jharkhand on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day, a railway official said.
The crew included the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, train manager, ticket examiners and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, all of whom were women.
South Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Suchi Singh said the initiative was taken to celebrate the occasion and highlight the increasing participation of women in the railways.
“Today is a very special day for women and the Ranchi railway division. Keeping International Women’s Day in mind, we have taken a special initiative of operating a passenger train by an all-women squad. From the loco pilot to train ticket examiners and RPF personnel, all were women on the train,” she said.
The train departed from Ranchi station at 9.13 am and reached Irgaon station around 10.40 am, covering a distance of 58 km with nine stoppages during the one-and-a-half-hour journey.
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Singh added that Irgaon station was also managed entirely by women during the train’s arrival.
Ranchi chief ticket inspector Masira Surin said the team felt proud to manage the train on the special occasion.
“The government is now encouraging women to come forward in every field of society,” she said.
RPF sub-inspector Rita Kumari said women can now travel alone on trains with greater confidence as more women personnel are deployed to ensure passenger safety.
Loco pilot Dipali Amrit said the presence of women in railways has grown significantly over the years.
“When I joined the railway in 2007, I was alone. Gradually, women’s interest in railways increased. Now there are three loco pilots and about 10 assistant loco pilots in the Hatia division,” she said.
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