Namma Metro has 30% reservation for women for the job of loco pilots, but 59% of its recent recruits are women. It may not be a total exaggeration to say that some are the driving source of Namma Metro. Let’s know more about the women empowerment at Namma Metro
More Power to Women!
Interestingly, in the recent batch of recruits for the post of loco pilots, the majority are women. A metro official declared that state government has reserved 30% of the force for women. But recently, a batch of 97 joined the team out of which 57 are women.
In Bengaluru, metro commuters often stop to click selfies with the loco pilot. Namma Metro apart from being the second largest metro system in the country after Delhi has set an impressive example in gender equality.
Yeah! Women are finally dominating!
At Namma metro there are more than 50 women operators employed who single-handedly control operations and shoulder the responsibility of thousands of commuters every day. These women are mostly engineers who later receive training from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. While it is a common sight to see men in such jobs, Bengaluru metro is the first in India to employ 9 women loco pilots since its very inception in October 2011.
First Ever Loco Pilot!
Ms. Priyanka, a 20-year-old young woman became the first ever Namma Metro loco pilot. She says that she was probably chosen because of her performance at earlier metro test drives. She drove the remarkable inaugural train from M.G road to Bayapannahalli on Thursday. Though she was already a veteran as a loco pilot, she says that she had butterflies in her stomach when she had to drive the inaugural journey.
Engineer Deepa!
Also, we have Deepa L who was placed with BMRC immediately after graduating in electronics and telecommunication. Deepa firstly felt the idea to be a loco pilot was totally ‘cool’. And says that every-time she drives the train into the station she feels proud to see all eyes turned towards her.
Skillful Prabodha!
Prabodha D yet is another women loco pilot in Namma metro who holds a diploma in mechanical instrumentation says that she thoroughly enjoys the job. But at the same time finds it challenging. And says that by now she knows each and every component of the train and enjoys the challenge and adventure of the job. She specifies that the feeling of being admired publicly is simply exciting.
As the struggle for gender equality continues in several fields, examples such as these restore our faith in humanity and in a better future.
