Relieve us from night shift duties: Women RTC constables

Karimnagar: Women RTC constables working in Karimnagar zone have appealed to the TSRTC Managing Director (MD) VC Sajjanar to relieve them from the burden of night shift duties. In a letter to the MD, the constables said they were appointed on Feb 25 in 2013 and since then they were being allotted night shift duties and it was posing immense problems to them.

The women constables complained that they were forced to go home or to go depots at 12 in the mid-night due to night duties. As the roads were deserted at that time, they were frightened to move on the roads.

There were many women constables who are mothers of young children (some breastfeeding mothers). As they were also given night duties they were compelled to leave children with their husbands. emale RTC constables also include unmarried girls. When their parents were looking for marriage alliances they were being rejected by male side families on learning that the girls were attending night shift duties.

Being a single woman on night duty makes the constables extremely uncomfortable and insecure. Many were suffering from cancer and gynaecological diseases and were hospitalised due to night duty, they said in the letter. The women constables pointed out those women conductors were allowed on duty till 8 pm alone. During training it was told that benefits given to female conductors would be given to women constables also. The constables also wanted promotions in the women quota.