For the past few years, women have been a vital part of the maintenance workforce of overhead electrical lines in the Thiruvanananthapuram railway division.
But, an all-women team executing annual maintenance of the overhead electric traction is a first in the division.
In connection with the International Women’s Day campaign of Railways, a 11-member all-women team carried out high-risk annual maintenance of the overhead electric traction at the Kayamkulam railway station and adjacent areas on Thursday (March 5) with ease.
Led by junior engineer Briji and comprising technicians and helpers, the team was drawn from Kollam and Kayamkulam.
With the aid of a tower wagon, they cleaned overhead equipment, insulators, measured the parameters, and climbed the cantilever to carry out adjustments in the overhead line.
Demanding job
Sporting the distinct uniform, safety helmet, gloves, hook and safety shoes, they ascended ladders, climbed to the top of the tower wagon with ease and carried out the work..
“It is a physically demanding job. One has to even climb the cantilever that is seven metre from the ground level. All are in the age group of 30 to 40 years and we executed it with ease. The annual maintenance work has to be carried out when there is no train movement. Completing the work in the time frame was a challenge,” says Briji, who is in the traction distribution wing for the past 17 years.
Snapped lines
Their work is not limited to maintenance alone; these women are also involved in changing the lines that are snapped by uprooted trees and in accidents.
They were active in restoring supply and charging the overhead electric line at several places after electric masts and lines got snapped in rain and floods in 2019.
“These women are involved in all work day and night and they can take up any assignment. Mobilising women-only teams is difficult as only 82 of the 403 personnel in the traction distribution department are women,” says Anoop V., Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer, Traction Distribution. As it is a high risk job, the overhead power lines are switched off and earthed properly before taking up the work.
