Kochi Metro zooms ahead on gender inclusive track; women make up half the loco pilot force

AS the daughter of an autorickshaw driver, it's a special calling to be a loco pilot, says Gopika Santosh.

- KRISHNA KUMAR K E @Kochi

AS the daughter of an autorickshaw driver, it's a special calling to be a loco pilot, says Gopika Santosh. She was among the first seven women pilots appointed by the Kochi Metro, in June, 2016. Nine years down the lane, the number of women pilots has gone up to 30, which amounts to half of the train operators serving on the urban rail network.

While piloting a train mostly remains male-dominated, the Kochi Metro is breaking the gender barrier.

"The first batch of train operators had only 12 women. Now there are 30," Gopika tells TNIE.