Indian Railways (NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)A week ago, the Bengaluru division of South Western Railway (SWR) went ahead and turned the Banaswadi Railway Station in the city into an all-woman station, but barely ten days later, the women staff aren’t too keen on working here.
According to a report in The New Indian Express, highlights the acute lack of Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Police Force (RPF) outposts at the station and also the situation at night, when the station becomes a regular den for drunkards and other anti-social elements.
An official said that a woman station master on duty locks herself inside her cabin at night to safeguard herself. While she does need to step out as and when a train arrives, she goes back in to her cabin soon after departure.
Police agencies on the other hand claim that there are two women home guards and one woman constable posted at the station during the day while a male home guard and male constable are posted at night. However, there are claims that nobody has seen them on duty at night.
On an average, 21 trains stop at Banaswadi in a day, but none stop between midnight and 4.30 am.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.