RailEnquiry

NAGERCOIL:
The Nagercoil Women’s Consumer Protection Centre has urged the General Manager of Southern Railway to allot reserved coaches exclusively for women.A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed at a meeting on women’s rights, organised by the forum and Rural Women’s Development Society, at Thazakudi on Monday. The Centre’s secretary, Jasmine Asir, also urged the government to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and to implement Chief Justice J.S. Varma Commission’s recommendations in totality. Complaint boxes must be placed in work places so that women could report on sexual harassment.She said that women were harassed even while commuting to the work place and at public places, besides the office. It was welcome that the Finance Minister had announced in the budget that Rs. 1000 crore would be allocated for setting up ‘all women banks.’ All trains have unreserved ladies compartments but not reserved coaches. So the Southern Railway could allot separate reserved coaches for women in long and short distance trains to cater to the large number of working women travelling alone. The need had risen in the wake of reports of women passengers being harassed in trains.

There were statutory provisions to take action against persons who harassed women. Only after the Delhi incident, the government took steps to enact laws to protect women, she added. Hence she appealed to the Southern Railway to allot reserved coaches exclusively for women.