India's first all-women station in Mumbai enters Limca records

The first all-women station in India, Matunga on Central Railway (CR), manned by a staff of 41 women, has entered the Limca Book of Records, an official spokesperson said here on Monday.

The unique initiative was taken by CR General Manager D.K. Sharma in July 2017 with the aim of empowering women, said CR spokesperson Sunil Udasi.

Accordingly, women staffers were posted across all departments, like 17 ladies for operations and commercial, six Railway Protection Force, eight for ticket checking, two announcers and two conservancy staffers, and five point persons, totalling 41, under the charge of Station Manager Mamta Kulkarni.

Incidentally, Kulkarni holds the distinction of becoming the first woman assistant station manager to be recruited on the CR's Mumbai Division in 1992.

Now, she and her all women staff handle the overall operations of the busy Matunga station with positive and encouraging results, said Udasi.

"The idea is to create an environment for women where they can make all decisions of their own for their personal and professional well-being, organisation good notwithstanding," Udasi pointed out.

Earlier, the Indian Railways' Mumbai region set new records in women's empowerment with Surekha Bhosale-Yadav becoming the first woman train driver on CR in 1988, later the world's first 'Ladies Special' suburban train introduced on Western Railway in 1992. - IANS