I Didn’t Find Ladies Only Coaches In A Long Distance Train Recently, That Felt Unsafe!

“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” ~~ Sheryl Sandberg

In many places, even in 2023, women’s voices are not heard, or there is no woman representative in decision making process where women are involved. A recent incident which I experienced tells me that we still need proper women representatives to raise the voices that are not heard.

Yesterday when I was travelling from one place to another which is a short distance of one and half hour, and I didn’t have time to book a reserved ticket, I thought I would go in the ladies’ compartment which usually used to be there in the back and front side of the train.

Ladies now have to board the general unreserved compartment which includes male also in absence of ladies only coaches. When I boarded the unreserved general compartment when the train arrived, It was too crowded, completely packed with male passengers only, with very few women I could see with small children standing, aged women also in standing condition for long time.

This really made me think, why are ladies only compartments removed where women have to face a lot of issues while travelling in unreserved general compartment of train, leaning against men?

Ladies only compartments meant safety

Ladies only coaches in train use to be safe for women travelling alone at any time, be it day or night.

Women’s Day is near. But it seems, issues that a woman faces are increasing day by day. Can’t the Govt provide at least 1-2 separate compartments for ladies who comprise 50 % of the population of our country?

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Special coaches were established to ensure the safety of women. The new system raises questions of women’s safety. As the police are not around, most people refuse to give away the seats to women even when it is reserved. Initially, in ladies only coaches, there used to be police at odd hours but now what to speak of when these coaches are themselves removed?

Railway & Govt is not ready to keep aside a single compartment for women.?

How will these measures ensure the safety of women? Can we ensure Beti Bachao when their needs are not taken care of, or when they are unsafe in these particular situations?

Image source: YouTube

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