Railway committee for toilets in local and suburban trains

A railway committee on passenger amenities has disapproved of the ministry's existing policy of not providing toilets in local and suburban trains and stressed the need to review the rules.

The members were of the view that the present rule that bars toilets on local trains with running time of three hours or less be reviewed for the comfort of passengers on local and EMU trains, a Railways official said.

The six-member committee also stressed on forging greater synergy between Railway administration and the GRP and use of modern technology to prevent passengers falling prey to anti-social elements.

The committee sought initiative on Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode for better maintenance of toilets at stations.

During its second meeting in Kolkata recently, one of the members also drew attention to absence of toilets at Kolkata
metro stations.

The committee took note of the fact that hapless passengers who were drugged and robbed were left to fend for themselves without any help from the Railways.

Such victims were not provided treatment at railway hospitals, despite the incident having taken place on railway premises, the official said quoting a member.