In A First For Western Railway, All-Women Crew Pilots Goods Train

In a first for the Western Railway, an all-women crew has piloted a goods train from Maharashtra to Gujarat. "An all-female crew has piloted a goods train from Vasai Road to Vadodara on 5th January, 2021, and set a glaring example that no job is beyond the capacity of women to perform as well as to excel," Western Railway said in a press release dated January 6, 2021. 

Western Railway's first all-women crew goods train was operated by a three-member team of Kumkum Dongre, Udita Verma and Akansha Rai. 

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal hailed the initiative as a wonderful example of empowerment. "By efficiently operating the goods train from Vasai Road in Maharashtra to Vadodara in Gujarat, our women employees have set a wonderful example of empowerment," Mr Goyal tweeted in Hindi. He added that it was women who handled every responsibility - from train loco pilot to guard. 

महाराष्ट्र के वसई रोड से गुजरात के वडोदरा तक मालगाड़ी का कुशलता से संचालन कर हमारी महिला कर्मचारियों ने सशक्तिकरण का एक अद्भुत उदाहरण सामने रखा है।

इस ट्रेन में लोको पायलट से लेकर गार्ड तक की जिम्मेदारी महिला कर्मचारियों द्वारा संभाली गयी। pic.twitter.com/mEubyshNAe

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) January 7, 2021

Several Twitter users hailed it as a milestone moment for women empowerment. 

This is taking women empowerment to the next level. From the Loco pilot to the guard, of this Freight Train are women. More power to women.!

— Rukmani Varma (@pointponder) January 7, 2021

Really it is matter of pride for India ! Congratulations to you for empowering women to take up challenges and shoulder the responsibility ! Thank you very much !

— Bijoy Kumar Sharma (@BijoyKumarShar6) January 7, 2021

Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, cited the "gruelling nature of the job" and the need to travel long distances as the reason why very few women take up the role of guards or loco pilots. This will be a game-changer and an inspiration for other women to take up such challenging jobs in Indian Railways, he said, referring to Western Railway's initiative.