Lack of water and hygienic conditions in public toilets at railway stations in West Bengal hinder more than 70 percent women commuters, a survey said Wednesday.
According to the findings of a baseline survey conducted across 73 railway stations, stretching from Krishnagar in the north to Lakshmikantapur in the south of the state, 73 percent women travellers reported absence of toilet essentials.
"The absence of water, buckets and mugs restricts them from using the toilets and this in turn, affects their mobility," said Shramana Majumdar of the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) while releasing the report here.
"Also, 97 percent reported the absence of wash basins and soaps in the toilets," she added.
The study, involving 1,000 local train commuters, was carried out over a two-week period in September this year by Alor Disha, a women's forum facilitated by CFAR.
Eighty percent of the respondents were women and 20 percent men.
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According to the report, more than half of the women respondents admitted they drank less water to avoid use of toilets at stations.
"We found that 53 percent drank less water prior to boarding a train and this is despite the fact that 87 percent knew the negative effects of drinking less water," said Majumdar.
The findings were made available at a meet organised by CFAR in partnership with Parichiti, a society for the empowerment of women.