Farmer's daughter set to steer Bangalore Metro

BANGALORE: Twenty-year-old Priyanka N does not know how to ride a bicycle. But that has not come in the way of the farmer’s daughter being tasked with the responsibility of driving Namma Metro on Thursday.
And Priyanka always dreamt of driving Metro. It was this dream which made her apply for the job soon after her diploma in electrical and electronics engineering.During her course, the subject on electrical line and traction drew her interest in the Metro.
“I was thrilled when I first drove the Metro rail in Delhi. After five-and-a-half months of training in Delhi Metro, we started operations in Bangalore. The excitement of sitting in the cabin and operating the train can never wane,” she says.
Priyanka was in the first batch of operators recruited for Namma Metro in 2010. “My father is a farmer from Kagallipura on the southern outskirts of Bangalore. My parents are really happy that being the youngest child, I earn more than anyone at home. My mother always tells our neighbours that a person who doesn’t know to ride a cycle is driving Namma Metro!” she says with a laugh.
“Passenger safety is our utmost priority. Be alert is our watchword while driving. The second focus is on carefully following the speed restrictions,” she says.