AN ATTEMPT by the railways to paint the interiors of the ladies coaches has received positive reviews from commuters with even men demanding a colourful makeover for the general first class coaches. Advertising However, the railways wants to ensure that the “paint job” stands the test of time against daily wear and tear. In August, the Matunga workshop painted the interiors of two ladies coaches in shades of green and blue depicting greenery and aquatic life. Railways officials said the then chief mechanical engineer of the workshop, who was nearing retirement, wanted to beautify the ladies coaches. They added that after female commuters gave positive feedback, the experiment was extended to more coaches. So far, six ladies coaches (both first and second classes) of the Central Railways and one of the Western Railways have been painted. “We’ve got a positive response from commuters on the makeover. There is no major damage to the paintings and we’ll wait another three months before we paint a coach again. We will examine each coach colour retention,” said a senior workshop official from Matunga. Advertising In the Western Railways, the second and first class ladies coaches were painted by the workshop staff in Mahalaxmi. “A coach is stabled at the workshop for two weeks. We paint the coach within a week after repairs and ensure that we give the paint a protective coating to prevent fading,” said a senior railways official. Railways staff are interacting with commuters in ladies coaches to get more feedback. Radha Ingale, who frequently travels to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus from Chembur, said, “The colourful coaches look lively and I would want to sit in a coach that has shades of green and blue.”

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