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There are around 1,700 female loco pilots in the Indian Railways.
Several female drivers said that this current practice that is informally adopted is often embarrassing.
A piece of bizarre news came to light on Sunday in which a female loco pilot, working with the Indian Railways, claimed that they have to seek permission from a male locomotive pilot to go to the washroom which they often find embarrassing and unsafe. She said, “When we have to take Washroom breaks we need to first inform the male loco-pilots who then inform the station master.” The station master then informs the controlling department which manages the operations of the railways.
She added that all the communication is sent through walkie-talkies. As all the walkie-talkies are connected, a message sent is heard by everyone connected in the frequency. Several female drivers said that this current practice that is informally adopted is often embarrassing.
According to the female drivers, around 1,700 active female locomotive drivers are working in the Indian Railways and out of that around 90 per cent of them work as assistant loco pilots under male locomotive pilots. Another female locomotive driver said, “Once when I was on duty with a male driver on a freight train, I had to go through several difficulties. Any driver on a passenger train can use the compartment’s washroom but in the case of freight trains you have to wait for a station.”
The woman further claimed that when she stepped out of the locomotive to use the washroom of the station, several officials were already aware of her request through the walkie-talkie message which made her uncomfortable. Many female train drivers also mentioned that when they step out of the engine to use the washroom in lesser visited stations they feel unsafe as those small stations are generally located in deserted areas.
Commenting on this practice, Ashok Sharma, Assistant General Secretary, of the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) said, “In recent years, hundreds of women have joined as locomotive pilots. Before joining the job they were unaware of this but now after knowing about this practice, they get embarrassed. To avoid such embarrassment many female drivers avoid drinking water before their duty starts. Some even avoid consumption of any liquid substance during their duty. This leads to dehydration and several other health-related issues.”
He further mentioned that since the beginning of the summer season, many female guards and drivers have fainted during their duty as they avoid drinking water amid the scorching heat.