27 May,2011 06:15 AM IST | | Vedika Chaubey
The 36 women TCs deployed on Mumbai-Pune trains complain of duty hours that leave them little time for family and expose them to leering men; appeal to rotate shifts to ease stress
Almost a month into working on long-distance trains, the women ticket collectors (TC) are feeling the heat of the job. Currently, 36 female ticket conductors have been deployed on the Mumbai-Pune trains according to a revised Central Railway (CR) policy. Reportedly, all of them have grievances against on-board duty. Although CR officials are happy with their performance, the TCs think it to be an arduous task and are visibly distressed at their current work profile, which includes long hours away from home on outbound trains and dealing with lecherous men.u00a0
Stressed out: Women ticket checkers are forced to spend long hours
away from their families. Pic for Representation
"We have to be out of home for over 16 hours and by the time we go back, we are exhausted and miss out on our family responsibilities. It is becoming difficult to manage work and home. I hope our seniors will gauge the situation and implement some change soon," said a woman TC. This is not a solitary complaint. Several women TCs deployed on long distance routes share a similar view.
"It's uncomfortable for us to work among male passengers. Some stare at us, others jeer at us. This is our job and we can't pick fights with passengers. We will be pleased if the duty is on a rotational basis," added another woman TC. Though the CR officials are contemplating their request, they are firm on their decision of deploying female TCs on outbound trains.
"We are considering the possibility of rotating their shifts. For example, in a week, 18 out of 36 TCs might go on board while the other half can be deployed at the platform. We hope this eases their burden," said V A Malegaonkar, Chief PRO, CR. "There was a meeting between women TCs and senior railway officials and we have decided to take some positive steps," informed another senior CR official.
