In ‘man-free zone’,girls show way

“Does my bow look okay?” she asked,shuffling in between the passengers on the Delhi Metro Red Line. Shivani was followed by three girls dressed in Scout’s uniforms,blue-and-white cravats curled around their necks. Secured tightly were official CWG Metro dogtags,a deeper source of pride. Schools are closed for the Games but the 14-year-olds — Shivani,Shanu,Remanchi and Priti — were “on duty”. Guiding women,poking fun at each other,idling time on the Red Line,the girls chimed,“The Games pass will get us access to any station.” The girls had been chosen to guide passengers. Like sardines,attempting to burst out,they cleared the way towards the women’s compartment.

In the fast moving train were three young boys. “Kya idhar yamuna chad gayi thi? (Is this where the Yamuna rose?)” they wondered. Javed,Ali and Nadeem were making their way to Shahdara. A person nodded. The scouts kept a vigilant eye,but sitting opposite were female officers keeping the women’s compartment a “man-free zone”. “Women must sit here,” said a grandmother to her granddaughter Ruchi,“That’s what the pink line on the platform is for.” Ruchi corrected her — this was modern Delhi and a modern train,“Women have the option.”

Kamlesh from Haryana jabbered away. That Delhi was blanketed with illnesses,every house had flu,fever,dengue or worse. She clung to her Ayurvedic medicine in a yellow plastic bag. Tara joined in. Diseases are from the city,“The city will keep growing,the Metro will follow and there is no end in sight.” But customs and respect do remain.

“Make space for her,” Premvati nudged her daughter as an older woman got on. “We wouldn’t get space with such ease in other compartments,” said the lady. She too nagged about the hassle of shuttling back and forth. Her husband has been admitted to the Guru Teg Babadur Hospital. On the far extreme in the integrated compartment,far from the chatter,men and women travelled in the mundanity of silence.