North India Gets 1st Metro Station For Transgenders

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) on Tuesday officially renamed one of its stations here as "Pride Station" dedicated to the transgender community, a PTI report stated.

The station was previously known as Sector 50. The new name was unveiled by the Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma, Noida MLA Pankaj Singh and NMRC Managing Director Ritu Maheshwari.

Six members of the transgender community, who have been recruited by NMRC through contractors for services at the Metro station, were present at the station and they have underwent the necessary training, it said.

To provide the community with employment opportunities and to enable their meaningful inclusion in the society, NMRC had also come up with six vacancies — four for ticket vending operator and two for housekeeping staff — for the transgender community, it added.

This step has been taken by the NMRC for the inclusion and meaningful participation of the members of the transgender community. As per Census 2011, there are 4.9 lakh transgenders in India, out of whom around 35,000 are staying in NCR. These numbers may have increased manifold in the present scenario, an operator was quoted saying to PTI.

The initiative was inspired by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, passed by the Centre for the protection of the rights of the transgender people and working towards their welfare, it added.

Earlier in 2017, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited in Kerala had taken a similar step by employing 23 transgenders, breaking a new ground in gender justice.

The "Pride" station, though dedicated to the transgenders, will be open for all passengers. It will also provide employment opportunities for the transgender community, it added.