On International Women's Day, Vande Bharat Express operates with all-women crew

The Central Railways on Friday operated a Vande Bharat Express train with an all-women crew on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The CSMT-Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express (Train No 22223) was wholly managed by women, marking their growing role in railway operations and promoting gender inclusivity, a spokesperson of the Central Railways said.

The all-women-operated Vande Bharat Express departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 6.20 am. It was piloted by Asia’s first woman loco pilot Surekha Yadav. Sangeeta Kumari was the assistant loco pilot and the operations were supervised by Shweta Ghone.

Only women Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) were deployed in the train. The team consisted of head ticket examiners Anushka KP and MJ Rajput, senior ticket examiners Sarika Ojha, Suvarna Pashte, Kavita Maral and Manisha Ram.

“The initiative is a tribute to the dedication and excellence of women in Indian Railways and reflects the organisation’s commitment to empowering women in all aspects of its operations,” the spokesperson said.