Panaji: In a major step towards gender inclusion and operational reform, Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd (KTC) has inducted its first cohort of female traffic controllers (TC) across the state’s major bus depots and transit hubs.“TCs play a crucial role in daily operations, tasked with managing bus schedules, monitoring driver departure times, maintaining depot discipline, and overseeing fleet movements,” said KTC general manager Mahendra Pednekar. “By placing women at the helm of depot traffic management, the corporation seeks to enhance its operational structure for both staff and commuters.”KTC recently recruited nearly 360 new staffers. As a result, KTC’s workforce is set for a structural boost with the onboarding of 250 bus conductors, 100 drivers and 10 TCs.The recruitment drive marks a milestone in gender representation within the corporation’s field supervision roles after it trained four female TCs. Operating out of the corporation’s central headquarters, these women officers will lead on-ground ticket inspection and line-checking operations.The recruitment drive also included at least 10 new women bus conductors.Pednekar said that having them will significantly improve efficiency for KTC’s growing pool of over 40 female conductors, while furthering gender inclusion across operations.“While plans to recruit female drivers remain active, initial applications faced delays due to experience requirements, as public safety standards demand specific heavy-vehicle operational experience,” he said.
