Delhi is often addressed as the heart of India. Apart from being the capital city, Delhi is home to an eclectic range of people from all over the country.
In a metaphorical situation, if Delhi is the heart, its heartbeat lies in the metro system. The Delhi Metro system connects all nooks and corners of Delhiâs landmass and makes it convenient to travel back and forth. Established in 2001, Delhi Metro has been catering to the convenience of all sections of people. Be it students, working professionals, or the aged population, it aids the citizens to escape the exasperating traffic on the streets. To make it more accessible for all, there were many suggestions and changes demanded by the common people. One of them was to introduce womenâs coaches!
A womenâs coach is not a luxury but a necessity. Over time, the Delhi metro has become the most convenient mode of transport for its citizenry, hence, each station experiences an unprecedented rush and crowd. We often witness a great amount of aggression, push, and pull at the train gates, and the âunsaidâ race to get hold of a seat is often won by men. Hence, women with their babies, on their periods, or during pregnancy face difficulties.
To mitigate these problems faced by women, in 2010, the Central government declared that the first coach of every train will be labeled as a âwomen coachâ to exclusively meet the needs of all women who travel in the metro. It was a huge step in the process of development for women. We often hear women citing the problem of traveling for long hours to reach their work destination or the inconvenience of sharing already shrunk sitting areas with men. But with a coach, exclusively for women, it has become easy for them to travel and, in fact, enjoy their journey. Moreover, unfortunately, there are often questions raised about womenâs safety in Delhi, especially in the wee hours of the night. Hence, the introduction of a womenâs coach in metros is a great initiative by the government wherein all the women travelers won’t be scared to travel, even when it’s dark. All such coaches have zero entry for men and there are also officers stationed in various metro stations like that of Rajiv Chowk to ensure that no men enter the women’s coach.
The women coaches are truly a sight to behold. All the women are free to sit, stand, and squat however they want. They can nap peacefully and even listen to songs with no fear of being stared at inappropriately or someone passing derogatory comments on them. Women laugh, talk loudly, and even click selfies in whatever way they want to, without the fear of being judged by others.
The women’s coaches, hence, aim to create a safe space for all women. It is especially very beneficial for young girls and also for the ones who are new to the hustles of Delhi. It takes time to understand how to navigate the different lines in a metro, and understand how to get on the train. But if they know that at the end of everything, they can sit in a coach which is solely dedicated to them, then it is only a cherry on top of the attempts to romanticize the whole vibe of Delhi.