Mumbai: Marking 34 years of a pioneering step in suburban rail travel, the Western Railway on Monday celebrated the anniversary of the world’s first women-only “Ladies Special” local train by distributing roses to female commuters aboard a special service between Churchgate and Borivali.
The celebration took place on the 5.39 pm Ladies Special Borivali local departing from Churchgate station, where female staff members of Western Railway welcomed women passengers with roses as a gesture commemorating the historic initiative launched on May 5, 1992.
According to a post shared by Western Railway on X, the occasion was celebrated to honour the introduction of the dedicated women-only local train service, which was started with the aim of providing safer and more comfortable travel for female commuters in Mumbai’s overcrowded suburban network.
Visuals shared by the railway authorities first show women staff members standing with a bunch of roses before boarding the train to distribute them among commuters. Further visuals show smiling staff members handing over roses to women passengers seated inside the coach. Several commuters were also seen posing for photographs with the railway staff to mark the occasion.
According to information available on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) website, the Ladies Special service was introduced at a time when overcrowding on suburban trains posed major difficulties for women trying to board the designated ladies compartments in regular local trains, especially during peak hours.
By dedicating an entire train exclusively to women commuters, Western Railway addressed a long-standing demand for safer and more accessible travel options for thousands of working women travelling daily across the city.
The first Ladies Special local was flagged off by former Union Minister Ram Naik on the Western Railway line and initially operated between Churchgate and Borivali. Following an overwhelming response from commuters, the service was extended up to Virar in 1993, expanding its reach further across Mumbai’s suburban corridor.
Over the decades, the Ladies Special has remained one of the most significant initiatives in Mumbai’s suburban railway history and continues to serve as an important mode of transport for women commuters across the city.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
