Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board, popularly known as Chennai Metrowater, is witnessing a significant transformation as women engineers take charge of key technical and leadership positions. The development marks an important shift in an organisation where women were traditionally assigned administrative responsibilities and limited field-based work.
Women now account for approximately 56 per cent of the organisation's workforce, reflecting their growing participation in essential public services. Several women engineers have moved into senior positions, including Chief Engineer and Engineering Director, taking responsibility for major operational and infrastructure projects.
One of the prominent figures in this transformation is O. Parveez, who joined the organisation as an Assistant Engineer in 1991 and has risen to become an Engineering Director. She leads a team comprising five women Chief Engineers, highlighting the increasing representation of women in technical decision-making.
The journey has not been without challenges. Earlier, women engineers faced difficulties in undertaking field inspections, night-time assignments, emergency maintenance operations and addressing public grievances. However, gradual institutional changes and greater opportunities helped expand their professional responsibilities.
Former Managing Director Santa Sheela Nair played an important role in opening field assignments to women during the 1990s. Since then, women engineers have increasingly handled demanding responsibilities involving water supply, sewerage management and major infrastructure development.
Technological advancements, including mobile-based monitoring and digital data collection, have further supported their work.
The development represents a broader change in workplace opportunities, demonstrating how women are increasingly contributing to the planning, management and delivery of essential urban services.
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