Follow-up Story
By the end of week 1, 8 transgender employees quit working for Kochi Metro
During the inauguration of Kochi Metro, PM Narendra Modi has showered praises on the project for its inclusive nature towards transgenders in the workforce. However, only a week later, 8 out of 23 transgender have quit their jobs.
Reason: Unwillingness to get houses/rooms on rent. Despite several representations to Kochi’s mayor & the district collector, nothing seems to be changing.
Ticket collector at Edapally station, Raga Ranjini said that she draws a salary of INR 15,000/month, but has been living in a lodge where daily rent is Rs. 600. The rent and travel cost would clearly outweigh her earning by INR 3,000 and more.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded the new Kochi Metro for its special attention to ensuring women and transgender people are active in the operation of its rail network. This has proved to be a good push for the welfare of the marginalized and neglected community.
“Nearly 1000 women and 23 transgenders are being selected to work in Kochi Metro rail system,” the PM said after he inaugurated the project.
They will be deployed in different sections, including housekeeping and ticket counters based on their qualifications.
“This is an attempt to bring them to the mainstream. We hope our maiden attempt will be a runaway success. We expect other firms to follow suit and engage them in respectable positions,” said Kerala Metro Rail Limited managing director Elias George.
In fact, Kochi Metro Rail Limited, which runs the Kochi Metro project, is the country’s first government agency to hire transgender people.
Check out this video shared by PR Department of Kerala Government:
Kerala became India’s first state to formulate a transgender policy in 2015. The policy aimed at ending the discrimination and bringing the third sex to the mainstream.
“We are really excited. We hope other firms will also open their doors for us,” said Chitra, a transgender community member from the port city.
The Kochi Metro is one of the metros that has employed the largest number of women as compared to any other metro. Kudumbasree, a women’s empowerment-oriented self-help project of the Kerala government, will be coordinating customer relations, crowd management, housekeeping and catering services.
What makes Kochi Metro more awesome
Kochi Metro is environment-friendly and is India’s first to extensively use solar panels. On the 25-km full stretch of the rail line, as many as 22 stations on the final will have solar panels. 25% of the metro’s electricity needs would be met by solar power.
Kochi metro network will use compost generated from municipal waste to fertilize the vertical garden it plans to maintain on some of its pillars.
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