All-woman staff man Hajipur railway station in Bihar

Hajipur (Bihar), March 9, An all-woman team of women Railway officials made history here Saturday when the entire operation of the Hajipur railway station in Bihar was handed over to them. A day later Sunday, operations began smoothly at the railway station.

“We are happy and upbeat. It is a big opportunity for us to prove that an all-women’s team of officials is not inferior to an all-man’s team as far as rail operation are concerned,” said Kusum Kumari. She is posted as the assistant station master at Hajipur railway station of the Sonepur division of East Central Railway, about 30 km from Patna.

She said that they were confident of performing their duty with accountability and full responsibility. “We are thankful to the top brass of the Indian Railways for showing confidence in us,” said Kusum, standing upright in her railway station master’s dress.

Revati Kumari, another member of the all-woman rail operation team at the station, said it was a new beginning not only for them but also for women as a whole.

“It was a bold decision of the Railways when they handed over entire rail operation to an all-woman’s team,” Revati told IANS.

Similarly Asha Devi and Ginni Kumari, both traffic porters, said they would not disappoint the passengers and will try to give their hundred percent to perform duty.

Chief Public Relation officer of East Central Railway A.K. Chandra said that right from assistant station master to train ticket collector, from traffic porter to reservation supervisor, the entire operations at the station was under the control of women.

The Railways have deployed security forces, including RPF personnel, to keep watch on troublemakers, if any.