Kochi Metro has done something noble and praiseworthy. It has decided to employ 23 transgenders to different sections like housekeeping and ticket counters, based on their qualification.
It is the first time that a government-owned company is providing a lion’s share of their employment to the third gender. Said Reshmi C.R., communication manager, Kochi Metro, “We have taken 23 transgenders so far. The target is 60. Of the 23, 18 would do housekeeping jobs and the remaining would be at the ticket counters. All of them were really positive during the training period and somehow wanted to get into the mainstream. We are happy that Kochi Metro has also become a livelihood improvement project.”
The transgenders, like all the other candidates, were shortlisted through written tests and interviews. They are part of the 530 workers of the self-help group for women, Kudumbashree.
The first phase of Kochi Metro, from Aluva to Palarivattom, is nearing completion and will be inaugurated next month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Kochi Metro had, last year, decided to seek the support of Kudumbashree to form a group of transgenders who can take up jobs once the metro starts functioning.
Said Tani Thomas, district mission coordinator of Kudumbashree, “We invited applications after consulting the police. We rejected people with criminal background. We gave them all the soft skill training that was needed for such a job.”
Over 30,000 Kudumbashree members appeared for the test conducted by Kochi Metro in February, of which close to 700 women and 23 transgenders were shortlisted. The Kochi Metro had signed MoU with Kudumbashree in December on the management of metro stations.
Said Elias George, MD, Kochi Metro, "We hope our maiden attempt will be a runaway success. We expect other firms to follow suit and engage them in respectable positions.”
We are excited and thrilled, said Vincy, a third gender employed by Kochi Metro. Said Vincy to THE WEEK, "I have been selected to sit at the ticket counter. People from Kochi Metro assessed us and helped us develop skills on customer care and spoken English at Rajagiri college. The training lasted for a month. I hope other companies all over the country will take notice of it and start hiring people from the third gender."
