Guwahati Railway Station Welcomes First Transgender Tea Stall

 Assam Railway Station has welcomed North East’s first of its kind ‘Trans tea stall’ to empower the transgender community. It’s an initiative by NE Frontier Railway.

A tea shop that also serves as an ethnic cuisine stand and is run by transgender people has opened on Platform 1 of Guwahati Train Station in Assam, marking a significant step towards encouraging equality and a first in the North East.

 The programme offers transsexual people a small ray of hope for a good income.

The tea shop at the train station will benefit the transgender community, which is frequently the target of discrimination and abuse, according to Swati Bidhan Baruah, founder of the All Assam Transgender Organization.

“This is a minor step towards the transgender community’s empowerment. Helping transgender people obtain employment is the goal because they frequently face discrimination and harassment when looking for work “She said.

“Their perspective will change when transgender people, who are frequently seen begging at trains and railway stations, see the option to earn a living with respect, “She spoke.

The project, according to Baruah, will be expanded to include other significant railway stations across the state of Assam, so it won’t be restricted to the Guwahati train station alone.

In addition to Assam, a few other states have asked us to bring this programme to other train stations. Once it is in use worldwide, that scene will be remembered, “Added she.

NorthEast Frontier Railway’s general manager, Anshul Gupta, stated: “We are hopeful that this first-of-its-kind programme has started in Guwahati Railway station. The neighborhood in particular and society at large will undoubtedly benefit from this.”

The stall will be run by NFRLY and the All Assam Transgender Organization.

The programme is a component of the center’s all-encompassing “Support for Marginalized People for Livelihood and Business” plan for transgender people, which also contains a sub-scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for the Welfare of Transgender Persons.

The Northeast Frontier Railway intends to run more ‘trans tea stalls’ at nearby railroad stations.