Ritu Beri submitted four different sets of uniform, each with a distinct texture, to the Railway Ministry five days back and the public transporter will soon launch an online initiative on Twitter, Facebook and the ministry’s website seeking the views of people to help it select the attire. In the first phase, the new uniform will be issued to five lakh of 13 lakh employees of the Indian Railway.
Beri said the look of the uniform will be an ode to India and her exoticism. “The focus is to reflect modern India while respecting our deep-rooted tradition and culture, thus reflecting the glory of India. The uniforms will be Indo-western in cut and silhouette with comfort being the most important factor,” she said.
The idea behind introducing the new uniform is to instil a sense of pride and belonging among the staff rendering their services to around two crore passengers every day, a senior official involved in the project said. He said, in the first phase, front office staff, guards, drivers and catering personnel, onboard staff, station masters, loco pilots, train ticket examiners and gangmen will be given the uniform at an estimated cost about Rs 50 crore. The new uniform will also be given to the technical staff in workshops and production units.
The new dress is expected to be ready for use by the year-end, the official said, adding a common uniform can be worn for ceremonial occasions like celebration of Railway Day, sporting events and prize distribution ceremonies. One of the designs Beri has submitted is based on tribal art, while the other is inspired by rustic coins and currency of the ‘golden period’ of the country. The third is based on the legacy of nawabs, while fourth is inspired by pop art.