S. Satyavathi, the first-ever woman locomotive driver of the South Central Railways, today independently drove the Matribhoomi Ladies Special train from Falaknuma to Lingampally.
The event also got a boost today - on International Women's Day.
"Women are now playing a prominent role in every field. I feel happy to tread this road. Although there are few women drivers in the Railways, this is still a male-dominated field but I have found support from everyone around me," she added.
SCR deployed the first woman locomotive driver as a step towards expanding and strengthening the role of women in the Railways.
She said her next objective is to drive the Rajdhani Express someday.
While Ms. Satyavathi has been shuttling goods trains in and around Hyderabad since 2005, this is the first time she drove a passenger train, independently. Speaking about the experience, she said that it wasn’t very different from driving a goods train apart from the fact the job demanded a greater sense of responsibility.
"It doesn't feel very different driving a passenger train for the first time, but it definitely gives me a much higher sense of responsibility. I am now responsible for a large number of passengers. However, this is nothing great, it is just part of my job," she said.
Ms Satyavathi had joined as an assistant locomotive pilot in Bengaluru in 1999, and was later transferred to the Secunderabad Division. She was promoted to locomotive pilot (Goods) in September 2005, and has been on shuttling goods trains in and around the Hyderabad area.
She underwent special training for driving MMTS trains earlier this year and qualified.
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