Reservation, please - for men are from Mars!

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I have been a regular Metro commuter for a while now and like everyone else, I, too, am euphoric by the DMRC's (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) decision to have coaches especially for women. What a sigh and what a relief it is!

The platform floors now have sticky labels in pink and white (bang on the colour-combo DMRC!) written 'Women Only' and 'Keval Mahilaye' - pointing to the area from where women queue up for their special service. And once in there, you are in your own 'female zone' and can carry out a million feminine tasks. Certainly, not like Mumbai's local train where women are seen doing homely chores... (Yes, they do everything that they possibly can in women's only while they are taken from one corner of the city to another!)

According to the DMRC's commuter survey, one-fourth of the total commuter strength of the Metro is made up of women. So to make travelling comfortable for women - the first coach after the driver's cab in every train is the women's-only from now on. And, children up to 12 years - irrespective of the gender - old and physically challenged were also allowed to travel in the exclusive coach.

I personally welcome this move because I have suffered as much in the congested Metro as any other female would. But it is not the case with most of the male commuters. A male friend (he is one of the regular male chauvinist types) argues the need for reservations for women in every possible sphere - 'why can't they be with the rest of male commuters while travelling, and why can't Delhi Metro add one more coach for the comfort of all instead of reserving one?' To the sexist that I assume he has always been, I had only one thing to say - I said 'I strongly wish all men were chivalrous not only to their pretty girlfriends but to the whole crowd in general.'

He might have his own points, and I don't totally disagree. But honestly, I myself have witnessed many such instances where a girl suddenly screams at a man - asking him to stand properly and not let his hands stroke her. Also, incidents - where a man flatly refuses to get up from the reserved seats for women even if asked by a female commuter to.

If you want to believe in my mannerisms, I always make it a point to not sit on those seats that are reserved for the old and physically challenged even if the seats go unoccupied for the longest time and also try to make expectant women, and women with babies sit even if that involves making the impolite men get up from the reserved seats. And please, I do practice this and am not overstating myself. I also know many who follow the exact for a pleasant ride...yes, including many men.

Hopefully, you will agree with me that the angst has nothing to do with the entire mass of male commuters - almost all of them are refined but it is for the probable few who create a bad scene and make it a torturous ride for the fellow travellers.

But now, with the special 'Keval Mahilaye' there would be no more 'Bhaiya/uncle, - zara peche hatiye... zara theek se kadhe ho jiye'. (Keep at a distance... Stand properly)

Just hoping that we women don't get into any sort of cat fights in our so exclusive coach!

Sometimes I feel, we all need to thank the Commonwealth Games Organisers (oh! please there are a lot of people in the Committee than the Chief himself) for many such modernisms that the city has been adorned with in a long long run of its dawn. The city looks sparkling with superior amenities, decongested traffic and stricter laws.

The city welcomes and loves to be pampered this way not just for the guests but for its own people too...and forever!

P.S.: Day 3 run of the women's coach was my first experience of the service. And, the comfort inside the coach was suitably apparent to each other. However, I still could spot three men inside the coach. Thinking that they are unaware of it, (maybe the proper announcements were missed... naturally!) I asked them to move to the next bogie. What I got instead was a raw reply - 'Lagta hai aap he ko pareshani ho rahi hai, Madam' (Feels like you are only being troubled, Madam)

Madam learnt not to teach much to the trespassers.