Mumbai:
Western Railway's first motor-woman Preeti Kumari was surprised to find the entire city's media at Churchgate station to speak to her and photograph her. "There are women who fly planes, then why such hype for me, I am just driving a train," was the humble query of this 34-year-old mother of one.
As the 2.29 pm Churchgate-Borivli new-age local train pulled out of platform number one, and the media jostled to get the best shot of Kumari taking charge, women who had crowded the compartment just behind the driving cab cheered and clapped.
"We are proud of her and she should be asked to drive the ladies special trains," Suvarna Joshi, a commuter on the train said.
As she took charge, she was quite focused and said, "It's just a train and I am quite happy that I'm the first one on this railway. My inspiration is my husband and I was very happy to see him come to receive me when the train returned to Churchgate from Borivli. Gender does not have anything to do with basic human qualities like alertness, grasp of technical knowledge," she said.
Kumari is quite worried about the deaths on track. "It is quite disturbing to see trespassers on the track and they should understand that it is agony for us too if the train runs over them," she added.
Senior motorman and her trainer Satishchandra Karve said, "She picked up things quickly and will be an asset to the WR staff. She has been a success during her trial runs."
She was welcomed by her male peers by putting up a welcome board in the motormen's lobby at Churchgate and also on the inaugural train.
India's first motorwoman on Central Railway Surekha Yadav, who has now moved to driving long-distance passenger trains, said, "I spoke to her today and congratulated her. I am curious to know the details about how her first journey was."
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