In a First, Kochi Metro Hires 23 Transgender Persons

The 23 are among the 530 Kudumbasree workers who will man the 11 metro stations of the Aluva-Palarivattom corridor.

Photo used for representational purposes. (Photo: Reuters)

The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has employed 23 transgender persons, The Hindu reported on Saturday. The 23 are among the 530 Kudumbasree workers – from the women self-help group – who will man the 11 metro stations of the Aluva-Palarivattom corridor.

The new recruits will be posted at ticket counters and housekeeping departments at stations, depending on their educational qualifications.

KMRL MD, Elias George, told the daily that the metro agency is the "first government-owned company in India to formally appoint" transgender employees.

We would like to give members of the transgender community their rightful share in different jobs at stations. There will be no discrimination between them and women workers.

The Hindu reported that the candidates were selected out of a total of 41,000 people who had applied. The candidates are currently undergoing training before they start working on the ground.

“This is an attempt to bring them to the mainstream. We hope our maiden attempt will be a runaway success. We expect other firms to follow suit and engage them in respectable positions,” George told Hindustan Times.