Bengal builds first bus-stand for breastfeeding mothers

Indian mythology and literature have always glorified motherhood. However, India is way behind the Western world when it comes to the cause of women and facilities provided to new mothers. But just as Bengal has always thought far ahead of times, the state transport department has come up with the innovative ‘new mother friendly’ bus stands and stops.

The first of its kind was unveiled last week at Bishnupur. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of India had observed, the country hardly has bus stands where there are rooms exclusively for women, where new mothers can breast-feed their babies. Bengal government has come forward to implement the same on the ground level.

State Transport Minister, Subhendu Adhikari, inaugurated such a bus stand in Bishnupur. Earlier, when chief minister Mamata Banerjee had visited this area, she realised Bishnupur was a junction, from where several state and private buses ply to different districts of Bengal including Kolkata. Even there are families who have to wait all night to take a bus early morning. Keeping this in mind she had instructed for a new-age bus stand that will take care of new mothers and other passengers. The stand not only has a separate room for women to breast feed their babies, it also has a rest house for passengers who can spend the night. There are also three terminuses and a provision to park 34 buses. There are also rest rooms for drivers and conductors.