In a first for Metro services in north India, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) on Tuesday officially renamed the Sector 50 station as “Pride Station” dedicating it to the transgender community.
This initiative was inspired by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, passed by the Centre for the protection of the rights of the transgender people. The operator told PTI, “This step has been taken by the NMRC for the inclusion and meaningful participation of the members of the transgender community. As per Census 2011, there are 4.9 lakh transgenders in India, out of whom around 35,000 are staying in NCR. These numbers may have increased manifold in the present scenario”.
Gautam Buddh Nagar lawmaker Mahesh Sharma, Noida MLA Pankaj Singh and NMRC managing director Ritu Maheshwari unveiled the new name of the station in the presence of six members of the transgender community, who have been recruited by NMRC through contractors for services at the Metro station. The artwork and look of the Pride Station have also been changed to signify the essence and spirit of the members of the transgender community.
NMRC had called for suggestions online for the new name of the station and maximum people suggested the name “Pride”. “The station has been named ‘Pride’ as the NMRC feels extremely proud and privileged to have qualified members of the transgender community as part of the NMRC family. It also instils a sense of pride among the community and this step by NMRC is bound to be a ray of hope to uplift the members of this community and help in breaking stereotypes about them so that they too can live a dignified life with their head held high,” NMRC said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}NMRC had called for suggestions online for the new name of the station and maximum people suggested the name “Pride”. “The station has been named ‘Pride’ as the NMRC feels extremely proud and privileged to have qualified members of the transgender community as part of the NMRC family. It also instils a sense of pride among the community and this step by NMRC is bound to be a ray of hope to uplift the members of this community and help in breaking stereotypes about them so that they too can live a dignified life with their head held high,” NMRC said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}The Pride Station, though dedicated to the transgenders, will be open for all passengers and will also provide employment opportunities for the transgender community.
In 2017, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited in Kerala had taken a similar step by employing 23 transgenders.