Now women find it easy on Delhi Metro

NEW DELHI - Two days after police in Delhi and Haryana thrashed men packing Delhi Metro’s women’s only coaches, women passengers said Saturday the situation had dramatically improved.

While some men were still seen in the train’s first coaches that are reserved for women, most chose to stay away — clearly fearing yet another police onslaught.

“Thursday’s incident has certainly made things easier for us,” said Aditi Singhal, a student who said she had “a breeze of a ride” from INA in south Delhi to IFFCO Chowk in neighbouring Gurgaon.

Bank employee Anupama Chaturvedi agreed. “Today there is a change… Earlier they used to pick up fights with us and use abusive language if we asked them to move down.”

The Metro reserved the first coach of every train for women Oct 2. While most men kept away from the women’s coaches, many continued to board it despite the threat of Rs.200 fine.

On Thursday evening, policemen and women barged into the women’s coaches of a few trains, dragged out the men and thrashed them — in full view of television cameras.

The incident was the first incident of organised assault in the hugely popular Delhi Metro since it was introduced in 2002.

Most women agreed the unusual tactic appeared to have worked.

A security official in Rajiv Chowk station said men were not intruding into the women’s coaches.

When a group of youngsters tried to enter the coach of a train at the Pragati Maidan station, Metro marshal Shabana remarked: “Don’t you remember what happened to people like you?”

The group silently ran to the next coach.