Odisha Woman Loco Pilot Runs All-Women Crew Train On International Women’s Day

To mark the International Women’s Day on Tuesday, the Indian Railways replaced all the crew members of the 13288 South Bihar Express with women, including the loco pilot, who is a resident of Rourkela.

The special event was organised by the Chakradharpur Railway Division where the passenger train was driven and managed by an all-women staff.

As per reports, apart from the loco pilot, the TTI, the guard and the RPF personnel were also women.

Rourkela’s Silaroni Hira who drove the train to Rourkela from Rajendranagar Terminus in Patna said, “I am evidently happy with the initiative taken by our DRM sir. The safety of our passengers is paramount to us and I am really happy that we could accomplish that today.”

Speaking about her journey and struggles to become a loco pilot, Hira said, “I was born and brought up in Rourkela. I faced many challenges in life, but I never gave up and pursued my dream.”

“I completed my Diploma at a polytechnic in the Steel City. My first posting was under the East Coast Railway in Cuttack where I worked as an Assistant Loco Pilot. Then I took a transfer and came back to Rourkela where I am working as a Loco pilot,” she said.

A woman RPF official who was on duty in the same train, said, “Women are walking shoulder to shoulder with men these days. They are not lagging behind men anymore.

Meanwhile, the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a visual of the Vande Bharat express which too ran with all-woman crew.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off this train manufactured under the Make In India initiative in February, 2019. The train boasts of a top speed of 180 km/hr.