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Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Article > Spic and span for you maam

Spic and span for you ma'am

Updated on: 21 January,2011 07:03 AM IST  | 
Vedika Chaubey |

Acting on a MiD DAY report about filthy toilets at stations, railway authorities have launched a massive clean-up drive and the results are out there for all to see

Spic and span for you ma'am

Acting on a MiD DAY report about filthy toilets at stations, railway authorities have launched a massive clean-up drive and the results are out there for all to see


The filth, stench and dirt that are common phenomena at restrooms on the suburban railway network could soon be things of the past. Following a series of campaigns by MiD DAY, the railway authorities have launched a drive to clean-up and maintain the toilets at stations across both the central and western lines.

During MiD DAY's campaign, we found that the dirtiest toilet on the Central network was at Vidyavihar station. And, on revisiting the station, we found that not only was the toilet cleaned up but it also had attendants.


The ladies' toilet at Nahur station was cleaned up and an attendant was present at the gate

In addition, contracts for maintenance at 17 stations, including Vidyavihar, Dadar TT, Currey Road, Thane, Matunga, etc, have been given to Sulabh.

Vinit Kumar, Dy General Manager, WR, said, "The railways is doing all it can to ensure the cleanliness of the toilets.

We are requesting and appealing to the passengers to help us in our endeavour. We are trying our best to improve the standard of cleanliness."

Clean-up drive

Central Railway authorities have issued strict instructions to stationmasters to ensure that the toilets are clean and well maintained.

"Initially, the cleaning was not done regularly. But now special instructions have been given to all the contractors and respective stationmasters to follow the instructions and clean the toilets.

The stationmaster can hire temporary staff to clean the toilets with the impressed money allotted to them," said an official from CR.

During the campaign, we discovered that several toilets at stations were locked, and the keys were to be collected from the stationmaster's cabin.

Lock and key

"We follow this system as we have been getting too many complaints of people misusing the ladies' toilets, especially at small stations.

But now, we have placed a contractor and the responsibility is with the stationmaster," said an official.

The stationmasters of bigger stations like CST, Dadar, Thane, Kalyan are given an impressed amount of Rs 25,000, and smaller stations are given lesser amount depending on the passenger's mobility from that station.
u00a0
The impressed allowance of smaller stations has been doubled keeping in mind the need of the hour.

"We try to clean the toilets on a regular basis but with lakhs of passengers travelling everyday and using the toilets, it becomes impossible for us to keep them clean all the time," said a senior railway official, on condition of anonymity.

The Western Railway has deluxe toilets at the Bandra Terminus and Andheri (W) railway stations, and has floated tenders for deluxe toilets at other stations as well.
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This includes Dadar (W), Andheri (E), Borivli, Bhayender, Vasai and Virar. In addition, 11 toilets, including those at Vile Parle and Santacruz stations, have been renovated.

Sharat Chandrayan, Chief PRO, said, "We are in the process of improvement. We are also trying to take help from professional agencies."

Readers' response

MiD DAY is doing a laudable service by focusing on problems faced at airports, railway terminals, state transport bus depots etc. I think you must also cover issues that passengers face at BEST bus depots. Bus stations at Juhu, Kurla station (W) and Nehru Nagar lack basic facilities. I request MiD DAY to help resolve these issues
as well.
R P Baji Dombivli


We come across several 2nd class people travelling in 1st class compartments everyday. They travel in luxury without paying the fare and we, who pay 10 times more than them for a first class ticket, have to endure their rude and often violent behaviour.
I thank MiD DAY for this drive, but would also appreciate if the railways can change the colour of the first class bogie so that it stands out.
Naina D'souza, Santacruz

Number Game
According to figures, 70 lakh passengers travel on the Central and Western railway. Out of this, on an average, nearly 3 lakh passengers (male and female) use the toilets at railway stations. However, several passengers complained that the condition of the lavatories is below hygienic standards and it is almost impossible to use them. According to a survey conducted by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), only 17 per cent of the total number of restrooms are meant for female commuters.
Out of this, 93 per cent of the lavatories are either locked or out of use. "It's a very shameful fact that the city which gave birth to the railways has such sub-standard sanitation facilities. The state of the lavatories is awful and, in the report, there is evidence that women are contracting more diseases because of the poor standards," ORF chairmanu00a0 Sudheendra Kulkarni had said. Many of the lavatories at the station were found locked, while a few of them were under renovation. Also, most of the lavatories did not have water.

This is part of MiD DAY's month-long audit of experiences of travelling in and out of the city, where we take up people's issues and place them before the authorities to address.

So far in the campaign...

Up in the air


To kickstart the campaign, MiD DAY aired passenger complaints regarding airlines misplacing, mishandling and damaging their luggage.u00a0

Following up on fleecing cabbies at the airport, we found that the ingenious cheats still manage to trap the odd gullible passenger.

We reported on how smartly-dressed touts sporting fake uniforms of reputed hotels take tourists for a ride at the airport.

Down by the tracks


Urinals at railway stations on the central and western lines are a breeding grounds for diseases

Paan-stained, filthy stations

Taking the road less travelled

MiD DAY took a bone shattering ride alongside regular passengers of MSRTC buses only to find that, barring a few exceptions, they continue to be as rickety as ever

MiD DAY found that passengers coming into the city by train are left to the mercy of the auto and taxi mafia outside stations whou00a0 quote ridiculous fares

Despite paying a hefty toll at the various toll nakas to exit and enter the city, all motorists get are pot-holed roads, no street lights and a virtual death trap at night


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