‘I was told a woman can’t become loco-pilot, I proved them wrong’

AGRA: On the occasion of International Women’s Day on Thursday, railway authorities in Agra division felicitated the female employees who work round the clock to ensure convenience and safety of scores of passengers. Currently, around 5% of railway workforce in Agra division consists of women, who work in 8-12 hour shifts which sometimes extend to 16 hours.
TOI spoke to seven such women and tried to find out how they felt about their jobs in the largely male-dominated railways. Originally from Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, inspector Sunita Singh (30) is among the 12 women officers of the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) in India. Singh leads a contingent of 36 women constables in Agra division and works tirelessly to ensure safety of passengers and railway property. “I feel privileged to a lead a team of women constables,” she said. Singh joined the force as a sub-inspector in 2013 and was the only woman in a force which had 800 men.
Similarly, Geeta Yadav (24) from Alwar, Rajasthan, and Manisha Meena (22) are two assistant loco-pilots in Agra division who joined the railways around the same time and are currently posted in Agra Cantt and Mathura Junction stations, respectively. Manisha is the youngest woman loco-pilot of diesel traction engine in Agra division, while Geeta operates an electric goods train. “I was told by people that the job of a loco-pilot is not for women. However, I proved them wrong and am today performing as well as my male colleagues. My friend Manisha use to work for a steel plant in Bhilai, but she left her job and joined the railways. We are the only two women assistant loco-pilots in the division,” said Yadav.
Dipali Singh, 24, who hails from Rajasthan, was part of the state cricket team when she joined the railways in 2015 as a ticket examiner. Today, her daily routine includes four hours of duty and 10 hours of cricket practice. “I got an entry through sports quota and today I am a senior ticket examiner. However, my dream is to play for the Indian women’s team,” she said.
Trivesh Kumari Sharma (51), the first woman station master in NCR, is posted at Mathura Junction along with deputy station superintendents Shashi Verma (38) and Poonam Singh (31). “It’s a tough job and requires a lot of focus. Our families have been very supportive and that’s how we have been able to carry on,” said the three women unanimously.
On Thursday, ADRM, Agra division, Brijesh Kumar Mishra felicitated the women employees for their contribution in running the day-to-day operations. Sanchit Tyagi, divisional commercial manager of Agra division, said, “Though we have very few women employees, their contribution cannot be ignored.”