Rlys sets Oct 2 deadline for toilet upgradation at stations

The railways has set a deadline of October 2, when the Centre plans to launch year-long celebrations to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, for the upgradation of toilets at all stations in the country, according to a letter written by Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani to all the zones.

The letter, sent to the railway zones today, makes it mandatory for all the stations to have differently-abled-friendly toilets for both men and women.

In the letter, Lohani has said he has received numerous complaints regarding the poor condition of the toilets, adding that keeping those clean was a part of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

"The railways must ensure that the toilets of all the stations are maintained, upgraded to proper conditions of cleanliness, including ensuring sufficient lighting, doors, corridors, water supply, proper flooring, fittings and fixtures, and are made ready by the end of September, 2018 to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation," the letter says.

Lohani has also said cleanliness of toilets should be made a part of the station-cleaning contracts.

The letter says that toilets should be constructed by September 30 at those stations that do not have such facilities and an action plan from all the zonal railways should be sent to him within the next seven days.