Agra:

Hailing from Samastipur, Bihar, life for 23-year-old Sharda has been on the fast track since her completion of diploma in electrical engineering. She is the first woman assistant loco pilot (ALP) for an electric power run train in the Agra division of north central railway. There are four women ALPs in the team of 367 who ferry goods and express trains.

Sharda, who was on training for almost a year, now ferries passengers bound for New Delhi. On every alternate day, she assists her loco pilot for safe journey of passengers travelling in Agra-New Delhi intercity.

As an ALP, Sharda’s job is to check engine components and coordinate with control room for any emergency and technical snags.

Coming from a middle-class family of Bihar, Sharda says, “No one in my immediate family is working for railway but everyone is really supportive of me and my work.”

On her journey to the job, Sharda said, “After intermediate, I opted for electrical diploma, during my course I came across an interview of girl who hailed from Odisha and was the first ALP for her division. Since then, I had been aspiring to be one and now I am.”

“After clearing the entrance for the ALP post, my best friend Meenu Srivastava and I were trained and commissioned on the same day. At present, Meenu is an ALP at Tundla,” she said.

When questioned how does she feels for being the only woman to be ALP for electric run engine, she said, “Often, I’m been demotivated by some of my male colleagues. They say it’s a difficult job for woman, but I’m not here to give up. No job is difficult for a woman or for that matter to me.”

Like Sharda, there are three more women ALPs in Agra division. Yadav, Rinki Kumari and Pushpa Verma are working as ALPs in diesel engine trains.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Arvind Chauhan, TNN / March 22nd, 2015