Traditionally, technical jobs have been associated with men. But this has changed massively over the years, especially, in the railways.
There are quite a number of women, who are involved in sensitive areas to ensure safety and punctuality of trains. The government has also been giving a lot of opportunities for women, virtually in all areas.
In railways, women had been appointed in a whole range of operations, like keymen, trackmen, signal and telecom, assistant loco pilots, station masters and also as guards, which were predominantly considered male-oriented jobs, Divisional Railway Manager Neenu Ittyerah said. Incidentally, she is the first woman DRM of Madurai Division.
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“The very feeling that women cannot carry weight or cannot do a physically or mentally tough job is a misnomer,” she said.
“Just because it is a strenuous job in the given field conditions, it cannot be denied to women. As a mark of encouragement to these women, the administration has decided to provide portable toilets for them. It is like a tent used in camps that could be put up anywhere and give cover to women working in the field,” she said. “In fact, the commitment of Ms. Shanmugathai, is an inspiration for me. And she should be the mascot for what a railway woman employee is capable of,” she said.