Telangana women step into heavy mining roles at Singareni

Women at the State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited are taking on heavy mining jobs that men usually held, after law changes opened these roles up. Female workers now handle explosives, fix heavy mining gear, lead underground work, and train to drive massive dumpers. Yet, problems still exist. Workers face safety issues, gender bias, and the tough physical demands of the job. Tumram Priya traded her old career as a flight attendant to work near an opencast coal mine in a remote, forested part of Telangana. The 27-year-old commerce graduate now manages staff and vehicles and knows how to handle controlled explosives. She joined the firm through the dependent quota after her father, Jaganath, took voluntary retirement due to health issues.

Context

Law changes in the Mines Act helped open up these mining jobs to women in India. State-owned firms like Singareni Collieries are slowly changing how heavy industries hire workers. More women are now entering sectors that were once closed to them.