Somebody’s soiling ladies coaches in central locals

Women commuters often subjected to harassment on trains are now fighting a different battle. They have to deal with human excreta strewn all over the floor in early morning trains that start from Thane and Kalyan. Fed up with having to travel in dirty compartments for the past three months, women demand adequate measures from the authorities to end the menace.

“Some people put human excreta and urine in local trains starting from Kalyan and heading toward Dadar-CST early in the morning — 5.57am, 6.35am and 6.43am. Initially, it was found in one compartment, but recently it was put in all three sections of the ladies compartment in the middle of the train. This is very irritating,” Mulund resident and regular train commuter Lincy B George told DNA. “Apart from hygiene issues, it can cause deadly infections such as hepatitis. It has become very difficult for women to travel in trains.”

The nuisance was at its peak in 2008 and following regular complaints by women commuters, the railways increased patrolling to solve the problem. Women are annoyed that miscreants are up to mischief again.

“This is an old problem and the railways have to find a solution. If miscreants do this to the trains so regularly, it can be a serious security issue as well,” said Suvarna Adharkar of the Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh.

Central Railway chief spokesperson Vidyadhar Malegaonkar said they were aware of the issue and were working toward solving it.

“It happens in trains that are parked in open yards and not with those that are parked in the secure premise of a railway workshop. Whenever we get complaints from women, they are promptly addressed before putting the train into service,” he said.

Madhu Kotian of the Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh suggests that the railways shut doors of trains that are parked in open yards at night to prevent urchins and others from defacing them.