Chandigarh, a city known for its beauty has made headlines for having the largest number of women conductors in India. Chandigarh Transport Authority (CTU), the body which governs local buses in the Union Territory had recently recruited 72 female conductors for its fleet. As of now, these women have completed their training and are now serving on various local routes.
New Delhi, the capital city of India seems to be following Chandigarh for this initiative. It has 50 women conductors in its fleet.
That’s not all. Chandigarh became the 3rd state/UT in India to recruit women conductors just after Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. This step has definitely enhanced the safety of women in public transport. For the beginning, CTU officials have deployed female conductors on routes which have more women passengers. There are 9 special buses in CTU fleet which are meant only for females. Women conductors have been deployed on all of these 9 buses.
These 72 women conductors of Chandigarh have not just made headlines in India but have also been appreciated across the globe. Check out this article on WorldBank.org : Chandigarh Woman Conductors Make a Mark
Are Women Conductors in Chandigarh Buses Comfortable?
This question might have come into your mind. Let’s answer this for you. Chandigarh is a modern city and has well-educated citizens. We do not mean to say that it is a crime free city but we found women conductors doing their job comfortably. Some measures have been taken by CTU department which include – only day shifts for female conductors, selected routes etc.
After watching the successful example of Chandigarh, many other states in India have started with the practice of recruiting women conductors. A big salute to these brave women and thanks for giving us another reason to be proud of Chandigarh.
Image Credits: Chandigarh Tribune dated 8/3/2015.
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