Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has opened toilet facilities to its commuters at Metro stations. BMRCL had kept these toilets exclusively for metro staffers, but opened them to commuters after receiving a rap from the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) which ordered them to set up toilet and drinking water facilities at each of its station in the city and submit an action taken report within four months.
The multi-crore project of BMRCL was planned sans toilet and drinking water facilities at metro stations throughout the city, but with ample space for renting it out to private outlets and advertisement.
After there was much hue and cry by activists over an incident that happened in Yeshwantpura metro station in November last year when a 45-year-old woman lodged a police complaint after metro staffers refused her access to the restroom, the Women’s Commission and Human Rights commission took this issue up.
“I was told that the toilets were meant only for metro employees and when I requested them, they shooed me away saying that they had strict orders not to allow commuters to use the toilets. Hence I had to lodge a police complaint at the Yeshwantpura police station,” said Sudha Katwa, the complainant adding that the police have filed the charge-sheet of her case before the court.
Whenever the members of the Women’s Commission and Human Rights Commission turned up at Metro stations for inspection, boards of ‘Pay & Use’ would be put before the small toilets meant for metro staffers, said Sudha adding that there were several occasions when the commission had summoned Metro officials for hearings, but they did not attend them.
Managing Director, BMRCL Pradeep Singh Kharola said – “After the order, we have provided drinking water and toilet facilities to the metro commuters. Toilets that were meant for the staff are now open to the public. Right now its pay and use, but we are also considering if toilet facilities can be made free."
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