The Noida-Greater Noida Metro has decided to convert its Sector 50 station into a ‘She-Man’ station, that will have special facilities and provide employment for the transgender community.
According to Census 2011, there are 4.9 lakh transgenders in India out of which 30,000-35,000 stay in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The initiative by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) ‘will be an important step in providing meaningful inclusion and participation of the transgender community. The naming of the station will raise awareness and sensitivity,’ said Ritu Maheshwari, MD NMRC, in a statement.
‘The ”She-Man” station will be on the lines of the Pink stations, which were inaugurated on March 8 this year and provided special facilities for women passengers. The staff deployed at the Pink stations also consisted only of women except security personnel,’ the NMRC official said.
‘The ”She-Man” station will cater especially to the transgender community, though it will be open for all passengers, and will give facilities to facilitate the travel of the trans community in the metro system and also provide employment opportunities for them,’ she added.
Furthermore, structural changes in restroom infrastructure and the creation of a separate security check for the members of the community are also being considered at the station. Along with this, the NMRC will be spreading awareness about the community among its commuters with the help of signages at its stations and announcements inside the trains and stations.
‘The NMRC staff will also be sensitised and trained to communicate with the transgender community in a sensitive and cordial manner,’ the NMRC said.
It added that it also plans to include the members of the community at ticket counters and other areas. Before being inducted into the system, the transgender community will be provided with proper training.
The NMRC has also talked to NGOs who work closely with the community to understand their challenges and struggles, in order to develop an effective method for an inclusive society.
In 2017, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited in Kerala had taken a similar step by employing 23 transgenders.
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