The Bengaluru Metro plans to implement a move where only women will be allowed to enter through the first two doors behind the loco-pilot’s cabin in some trains from March 1.
The move was confirmed by Mahendra Jain, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
“Women riders can get in through these two entrances and can exit through any entrance. Men won’t be allowed to enter through the first two doors. But no seats will be reserved for women. After the launch of full-fledged six-car Metro trains, a Metro car is likely to be reserved for women,” he said, as per Bangalore Mirror.
The feature will allow women exclusively to enter the metro through the first two doors though no seats will be reserved for them. Women can enter through the first two doors and exit through any door while men will not be allowed to enter through the first two doors. The feature would become redundant in metro trains after six coaches are in place, when the first coach will be reserved for women.
“Two out of the four doors in the first coach in a few trains in both the Green Line and Purple Line will permit only women to use them. Depending on the response, we will extend it to all the trains on our network,” Jain said, speaking to The New Indian Express.
Women rights’ organisations in the city have been demanding exclusive coaches in Metro trains for a while now but Wednesday’s confirmation is the first assurance from BMRCL so far of a step in this direction.
It comes after several complaints from women of difficulties in getting into the metro, especially in peak hours.
Meanwhile, a series of tests are being done to check the feasibility of the six-car metro train and the service could become operational as early as April.
