19 railway stations to be gender sensitised

With rising cases of crime in opposition to girls, the Railways wants to address major safety and security issues.

Taking its first concrete step in opposition to developing railway infrastructure with the next emphasis on the safety and security of women commuters who constitute about 20 percent of the full 75 lakh commuters using the suburban railway community day-to-day, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has requested consultants to chalk out designs for stations making sure that they are gender sensitive.

The MRVC especially plans to do away with shadow areas inhabited through thieves and eve teasers. Special emphasis might be laid on the design of these stations through which it is going to be planned in a manner that massive beams, columns of FOBs do not leave any dark corner or shadow area.

A senior legitimate from MRVC, on the condition of anonymity, advised Mirror, “The thought is that no girls must really feel threatened – that an individual is lurking within the shadows. There must be no such areas inside station premises.”

The illumination stage of lighting at stations can be addressed in order that there are no dark corners.

According to the GRP, around 158 instances of molestation were reported through girls commuters final 12 months with 10 of them being of eve-teasing and 11 instances of rape.

MRVC, which is the infrastructure development arm of the Railways has been tasked with improving 19 stations that were sanctioned underneath the MUTP 3A along side quadrupling of traces between Virar and Dahanu.

The stations on the precedence record include Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, Dombivali, Shahad, Neral, Kasara on the Central Railway, GTB Nagar, Chembur, Govandi, Mankhurd on Harbour line, Mumbai Central, Jogeshwari, Kandivali, Mira Road, Bhayander, Vasai Road, Nalasopara and Virar on Western Railway.

Heights and shapes of FOBs are also being designed to facilitate relaxed motion for girls and a uniform measurement might be maintained throughout all stations.

These stations can be supplied with feeding rooms for lactating mothers. Such spaces can be supplied throughout all the new stations on the Virar-Dahanu line.

Additionally, elevated decks which may have booking workplaces and a concourse area where a distinct ‘utility court docket’ might be created is also within the offing. The utility court docket will space meals stalls, ATM facilities and other stores. Besides, there might be progressed signages at stations and the Public Announcement System can be enhanced.

According to a gender learn about conducted through TISS, girls discovered poorly-lit stations and bridges a major security concern while other issues incorporated lack of clean and purposeful toilets at stations along side poorlymaintained staircases and escalators.

“The measures highlighted within the learn about might be absolutely addressed,” added an legitimate.

Of the full 75 lakh commuters using the suburban hall, about 22 lakh commute all the way through height hours. Women constitute just about 30 percent of this crowd. “We are aiming at increasing the number of girls commuters through making sure good enough facilities for a relaxed adventure,” explained some other legitimate.