ALL-WOMEN CREW TRAIN FLAGGED OFF
On the concluding day of the week-long celebrations of International Women’s Day (IWD), the Guntur–Rayagada Express was operated by an all-women crew from Visakhapatnam to Rayagada. The train was flagged off by Divisional Railway Manager Shri Lalit Bohra at Visakhapatnam Railway Station today.
Waltair Division of East Coast Railway has consistently been at the forefront of promoting women’s empowerment, actively engaging women in various roles such as track maintenance, train operations, and other key areas. Women employees are playing vital roles in Route Relay Interlocking operations, train management, loco operations, ticket checking, and office administration. The Division has also established all-women teams at Loco Sheds responsible for maintaining crucial parts of locomotives. In addition, dedicated women’s security teams—Meri Saheli and Subhadra Vahini—are actively ensuring the safety and well-being of women passengers both on trains and at railway stations.
As part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, Waltair Division organized a series of events at Sri Srinivasa Kalyana Mandapam, where DRM Shri Lalit Bohra attended as the Chief Guest. The events included a seminar on “Understanding Child Psychology – A Guide for Working Women” delivered by Ms. Pragati Prajapati, Primary Teacher, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and a workshop on Psychology and Stress Management conducted by Smt. Bhaghyasree Anant Barbadikar from Art of Living. Additionally, an awareness programme on Women’s Health and Nutrition was delivered by Divisional Medical Officer Dr. Bhashini Priyanka. To conclude the programme, fun games were organized to engage participants and provide entertainment. The guest speakers were felicitated for their insightful guidance and awareness sessions.
In his address, DRM Shri Lalit Bohra emphasized that International Women’s Day is not merely an occasion for celebration but a reminder to continue striving for women’s empowerment and accelerating efforts to overcome gender inequality. He stated that more than 1,600 women employees are working round the clock in Waltair Division, making significant contributions in various fields and playing extraordinary roles in shaping their communities and society. He mentioned that every effort would be made to provide basic amenities to all the women staff at work places. He welcomed any suggestions for betterment of working environment of women staff or officers so as to make the Waltair Division as role model for the women empowerment. He proudly shared that the entire crew of Train No. 17243 Guntur–Rayagada Express from Visakhapatnam to Rayagada comprised women staff, and notably, all operational staff at Visakhapatnam Railway Station were women on this special occasion.
ADRM (Infrastructure) Shri E. Santharam, ADRM (Operations) Shri K. Rama Rao, Senior Divisional Personnel Officer Shri Jusuf Kabir Ansari, Branch Officers, women staff, sportswomen, RPF personnel, and Civil Defence personnel also graced the occasion.
Divisional Railway Manager Shri Lalit Bohra appreciated the efforts of the East Coast Railway Women’s Welfare Organization under the guidance of President Smt Jyotsna Bohra for shouldering social responsibility in upliftment of the morale of women workforce, contribution in development of infrastructure and congratulated all the women teams of Waltair Division for their remarkable achievements and expressed confidence in witnessing many more landmark accomplishments driven by Nari Shakti in the future.
