In a First, Indian Railways Opens Trans Tea Stall in Assam’s Guwahati Railway Station
Guwahati: In a landmark initiative, the Indian Railways has set up its first tea stall in Assam’s Guwahati railway station which will be fully operated and managed by members of the transgender community. It is is the first of it’s kind to be opened up in any railway station in the country and it has been done with active collaboration of All Assam Transgender Association.
Spokesperson of the transgender community Sabyasachi De said, “The idea to open the ‘Trans tea stall’ was generated and implemented by the North East Frontier Railway (NEFR) to empower the community”.
The NEFR collaborated with All Assam Transgender Association for the initiative, he said. The ‘Trans Tea Stall’ on platform number one of Guwahati station was inaugurated by NF Railway General Manager Anshul Gupta on Friday.
Gupta said that this was a “first-of-its kind initiative by any government organisation in the country”. NF Railway plans to open more such tea stalls at other railway stations in the region, he said.
Associate vice chairman of the Assam Transgender Welfare Board Swati Bidhan Baruah said that she was hopeful that more trans people will be rehabilitated in the days to come, under various government schemes.
The Centre had last year approved a comprehensive scheme Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise’ which includes a sub-scheme for rehabilitation and welfare of transgender people.