Officials cite rising demand of women commuters; move implemented on October 8
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The Western Railway (WR) has decided to add an additional women’s compartment to all its non-AC local trains on a permanent basis. The upgrade has been done by altering an existing general bogey. “Looking at the demand of female commuters, we have provided for an extra women’s compartment in all non-AC local trains,” Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer, WR, said.
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“With this addition, 25 more seats of women’s II class have been earmarked in the eleventh coach from the Churchgate end and second coach from the Virar end by providing a partition in this coach. The coach is just beside the existing women’s coaches,” he added. This move was implemented on October 8.
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As per the data, the percentage of female season ticket holders on Western Railway has gone up from 24.38 per cent to 24.64 per cent from 2019 to 2022. The figure had risen to 26.01 per cent in 2020 but declined to 24.92 in 2021.
WR proactively keeps up with the times. In 2019, it updated the logo that is used to mark women’s coaches. The female figure in the new logo dons office attire as opposed to the old one which depicted a woman with a ghunghat and bindi.