Mandya: Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish inaugurated two special bogies for women in the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train for the benefit of women employees commuting between Mysuru and Bengaluru.

She cut the pink ribbon to flag off the train that had bogie number 66551 for women. The Mandya Railway Station was packed on Thursday, mostly by women,  as the actor-turned-politician flagged off the train, which operates twice a day between Mysuru and Bengaluru. 

Many women in Mysuru, Mandya and other towns along the way travel to Bengaluru for         work, and prefer the MEMU train since it is efficient and economical. Of the 16 coaches, the first and the last bogies will be reserved for women.  

Sumalatha said that the train would help hundreds of women working in garment units and other offices in Bengaluru. “Two bogies are reserved for women, in view of their safety. I had submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi in this connection. More coaches would be added, based on the demand,” she said.

The train reached half-an-hour late to Mandya Station. Sumalatha was waiting at the Railway Office. South Western Railway officials had designated a specific spot on the platform from where Sumalatha was to inaugurate the reserved coaches.

However, the bogey she was to unveil stopped 10 metres short of the designated spot. The MP then requested officials to move the train so that it was in alignment with where she was standing.