W Railway’s ladies special reaches 30-year milestone

Commuters have demanded to increase the number of specials, which now stands at 10

In an empowering feat for women, the ladies special train-a first in the world which was started by the Western Railway in 1992completed 30 years of service on Thursday. However, the rail authorities might not be able to increase the number of ladies specials despite the fact that females now form 20-22 per cent of total daily commuters.

Currently, the WR authorities are running 10 women special trains, while the Central Railway operates four women special trains. According to WR officials, they first introduced these women special trains on May 5, 1992, that operated on ChurchgateBorivali line. Within a week, they ran on the BorivaliChurchgate route as well. Around the same year on July 1, 1992, the CR introduced ladies special trains. Sources in WR said that these services were extended till Virar in July, 1993.

Gradually over the years WR authorities started running more services from Churchgate terminating at Vasai and Bhayander as well. "We are currently operating 10 services of which 6 services are in the morning and 4 in the evening," said a WR official.

The CR too has its share of introducing special coaches or trains for women commuters. For instance, back in January, 1982, the CR came up with its maiden women's first class coach. Since then they have made provision of creating three additional coaches in local trains during morning and evening peak hours and on Main and Harbour lines.

"In May 2010, we introduced the first women's special train on the Trans-Harbour line though it didn't get the necessary response. At present we are operating 4 services everyday on the Main and Harbour lines," said a CR official.

Over the years the number of daily women commuters travelling in local trains has increased from 5-7 per cent back in the 1990s out of the total passenger count to 20-22 percent now. In fact, senior railway officials said that during peak office hours it has surpassed 25 per cent as well.

However the railway authorities claim that there is no space to operate more women special trains as paths are being created for AC locals as well.

"The density of women commuters inside a regular train is as much as seen in the general compartment. The situation of women passengers during peak hours is abysmal. The railway authorities need to look at the growing number of women passengers as well, considering local trains are a lifeline for people," said Lata Argade, secretary, Suburban Railway Passengers Association.

For women safety, a WR official said, "We are strengthening security measures inside local trains to safeguard passengers from anti-social elements. Out of the 189 coaches in 48 local trains, we have provided 1,397 CCTV cameras. Of the 189 coaches, 140 of them are ladies coaches, while 49 are general coaches.”

There are 110 rakes in WR and the officials claim that the remaining ladies coaches will also be covered by CCTVs soon. On the CR, the authorities claim that they have installed 200 CCTVs inside 39 EMU rakes and soon the remaining 90 plus rakes will also be fitted with the cameras.