Safer travel: Diva rly station to start queue system for women

To mark Women’s Day, efforts will start to make travel safer for women commuters.

To mark Women’s Day, efforts will start to make travel safer for women commuters.

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Diva railway station, which sees daily passenger count of 3.5 lakh, will introduce a queue system for women from next week. As Women’s Day is on Sunday and then Holi holiday flows, the railway police has not decided on a date.

“We have not finalised the exact date. But, we will start the system at Diva station next week. The idea was given by a group of women commuters, who travel between Kalyan and Thane regularly,” said an official from Government Railway police (GRP), Thane.

Last year, the queue system was implemented at Thane railway station outside first-class women compartments.

“We want to introduce the queue system at every station to discipline the crowd while boarding and alighting trains. At Thane, the queue system of women commuters boarding locals, especially during peak hours, has made it easy for all to board trains,” said Gaurangi Patil, 30, who initiated the queue system at Thane railway station.

The move to introduce the queue system for women commuters was prompted by the recent incident of a commuter being bullied by women passengers standing near the footboard. The crowd blocked the door at Diva station, refusing to allow her to enter the train.

According to the railway official, the number of commuters at Diva station has increased in the past few years.

“Diva station has become crowded and especially women commuters are travelling dangerously. So, to mark Women’s Day, we forwarded the demand to GRP,” added Patil.