Railways to build washrooms in locomotives on request of loco pilots

The survey was conducted after women pilots objected to their difficulties in performing their duty without toilets inside the locomotive. “A survey was conducted in all zonal railways last month in which 10,191 loco pilots participated. The pilot unanimously recommended the provision of urinals in the locomotives,” said a railway official, adding that 382 women pilots had participated in the survey.

There are more than 1,000 women pilots in the Indian Railways.

The pilots had also expressed difficulty in performing duty without providing toilets, citing safety concerns.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 25 April 2016 ordered the Railway Board to install toilets and air conditioners in all locomotives, which was agreed to by the Board.

To reassure the NHRC, the Indian Railways also installed water closets in 97 locomotives as a pilot project, and officials said the railways will now finalize the design of one of these 97 water closets.

The women members of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) said that women loco pilots avoid doing their duty and preferred desk jobs due to the absence of toilets, especially during the winter season.

“The problems are greater during winters as women pilots do not have washrooms available and are forced to go to the washrooms in the coaches when the train reaches a station. Fearing such issues, women pilots prefer to do desk jobs during extreme winters,” said a loco pilot, who was happy that the national transporter was finally building urinals.

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