Aqua Line’s Sector 50 station renamed as Pride Station; six transgender staff hired

Noida: The Sector 50 station on the Aqua Line was on Tuesday dedicated to the transgender community and renamed as ‘Pride Station’. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation

Noida: The Sector 50 station on the Aqua Line was on Tuesday dedicated to the transgender community and renamed as ‘Pride Station’. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), which operates the metro service between Noida and Greater Noida, also hired six transgender staff – four for ticketing and two for housekeeping – aimed at inclusive development, officials said.

Ritu Maheshwari, managing director of NMRC, said that the initiative aims at the meaningful participation of transgender community. “Earlier we had named two stations – Sector 51 and Pari Chowk as Pink Stations – for women empowerment. With the Pride Station, NMRC feels extremely proud to have qualified members of transgender community as part of its NMRC family. It also instils a ray of hope for the upliftment of the community and breaking stereotypes about them,” she said.

The name -- Pride Station -- was selected after receiving suggestions from the general public and some NGOs that work for the community, the officials said.

NMRC also collaborated with National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), which works under the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment, for providing soft skills training to four transgender community staff who got placement in NMRC. Two other staff members were placed through a Noida- based NGO.

The transgender staff have been deployed at the Sector 50 metro station after they were provided with necessary training by NMRC. Mahi Gupta, Panya Pawar, Kajal Kashyap, Shanu – are hired for ticketing, while Pawan and Kunal Mohar are hired in the housekeeping department.

Mahi said that she is very happy after getting a job in NMRC. “There is discrimination and stereotype against our community members in the society. We want to work hard and prove that we are equally competent,” she said.

Kajal said that she is pursuing master of social work (MSW) programme through distance mode. “I could not continue my study after class 12 because students used to tease me. I have been associated with an NGO for seven years. I got to know about this vacancy, applied and was selected,” she said.

GB Nagar member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma, chief guest at the event, said that this is a welcome step by NMRC. “Noida is a land of hope and aspirations. NMRC has paved a way for the transgender community members for their upliftment. If transgender staff can successfully work here, they can also work in other private companies and factories in Noida,” he said.