Mumbai : After Prime Minister spoke about clean toilets from the Red Fort, the Central Railway (CR) gas come up with a plan to charge Re 1 for the use of urinals by men. This, CR authorities say, will generate revenue for toilets’ maintenance. General Manager of CR Sunil Kumar Sood said, “We will start charging for the urinals with immediate effect as 99.9 percent people use toilets for urinals.”
Sood further said that this would mean more money for the contractors who can spend it for cleanliness.
“If sufficient revenue is generated from toilets, there will be competition resulting in better maintenance.”
When told about the CR’s plan, Hemant Kumar, Western Railway’s General Manager, said, “No action plan has been drawn so far. If there are any such plans we will let you know.”
A fortnight ago CR had embarked on a cleanliness drive with a team of 30 people cleaning a station per week. The toilets at these stations were left out of the drive.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of CR, Mukesh Nigam, had then said, “We have outsourced the toilets to a third party due to which they have not been included in the cleanliness drive which has been started by the railways.”
While R D Sharma, Chief Commercial Manager of CR, had said that the revenue generated with the existing model is not enough. There is too much of cost in the maintenance of these toilets while only women are charged.
However, the commuters are sceptical that even charging Re.1 will ensure clean toilets as it is the quality of supervision from the railways which matter.
“If toilets at Churchgate and CST stink to the high heavens, it is doubtful that they will be able to do at other stations,” said Wasin Sayyed, a resident of Mankhurd.
Arunendra Kumar, Chairman of Railway Board, during his two-day visit to the city, had remarked the stinky toilets at Churchgate station and asked the railway authorities to improve the condition with putting up automated flushing system in urinals and exhaust fans. After the visit, automated flushing system was put up at Churchagte while it yet to be put up at other major stations.
Nandita Shah, Co-director of an NGO ‘Akshara Foundation’ working towards gender justice and also a part of the ‘Right to Pee’ campaign, said, “Railways should maintain these toilets and look at other models to generate revenue like putting up advertisements. Charging both men and women alike for the use of toilets in public transport where they already buy tickets is not correct.”
