Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Positioning of ladies' compartment causes hardship

By Vidyashree Dharmaraj

COIMBATORE Aug. 5. The positioning of ladies' compartment in some trains is posing difficulties for women to board and alight as the coaches are invariably stationed out of the platform.

According to C.M. Jeyaraam, a consumer activist, women face hardship while climbing the steps of such a compartment as there is a lot of distance between the ground and the steps. It is worse for those carrying children. The ladies' compartment in all express and passenger trains is attached next to the guard van for safety. This system was introduced when trains had 10 to 12 coaches. The platform was designed to accommodate a minimum of 12 coaches. After the advent of electric and diesel engines, the pulling power has increased, so also the number of coaches.

Consequently, the ladies' compartment and the general compartment are parked outside the platform. The problem gets aggravated, especially at nights, because of poor lighting.

``Shifting the position of the remote sensor and signal posts a little further from the existing points will facilitate the engines to stand out of the platform thereby accommodating the compartments within the platform itself.''

According to S.S. Ramakrishnan, a former railway official, police escort in the compartment takes care of the safety. The compartment could be the third or fourth from the engine.

``They (women) are also unable to get catering services as the caterers do not come beyond a certain limit. Water carriers, who were once temporary and permanent staffers of the Railway department, are no more recruited. The passengers have to get down and go in search of water.'' ``As a temporary measure, wooden platforms can be erected until arrangements are made since the conversion of metre into broad gauge is in the offing,'' he suggests.

According to a railway official, who requested anonymity, due to the sustained and ever increasing passenger traffic the number of coaches were increased. Now, it is between 15 and 20.

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