Kolkata, April 18 -- The Sealdah Division of Eastern Railway has launched a study to assess the occupancy levels of Matribhumi local trains - ladies-only suburban services - amid indications that several coaches remain underutilised throughout the day. Based on the findings, the Railways may allow general passengers to access some of the vacant coaches.

At a press conference on Thursday, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Sealdah, Deepak Nigam, stated: "We are running ladies' special Matribhumi locals but staff observations suggest that not all coaches are fully occupied. We are undertaking a detailed study to assess actual ridership and whether there are consistently vacant seats."

The study is already in progress. "Based on the results, we may consider converting two, three, or four coaches for general passenger use. However, no decision will be taken in haste," the DRM added. Currently, six pairs of Matribhumi local trains operate on the Sealdah Division's north and main line sections.

The DRM also clarified that the additional ladies' coaches in all 12-coach EMU trains were introduced earlier based on statistical assessments, taking into account factors such as safety, demand and overall operations. However, recent protests by male commuters, who opposed the increased allocation of ladies' coaches, led to service disruptions on the south section of the Sealdah Division for two consecutive days - Wednesday and Thursday.

In response, Railway authorities issued a warning against any attempts to obstruct train operations. An official statement emphasised that such acts are punishable under the Railways Act, 1989. Specific reference was made to Section 174, which allows for imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to Rs 2,000. More serious charges under Sections 153 and 154, which relate to endangering Railway safety and passenger lives, could attract penalties of up to five years' imprisonment.

Railway officials condemned the protests as "unlawful" and "whimsical," pointing out that such disruptions affect the 15 to 18 lakh daily commuters who rely on the suburban network. Authorities reiterated that such incidents will not be tolerated and warned of stringent action against future offenders.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.