Basic amenities missing in Southern Railway stations

Chennai: A month after Madras high court directed Southern Railway to provide basic amenities like clean toilets and drinking water at all stations in the state
by July 2016, a visit to some stations revealed that work to improve the condition of stations is yet to begin.

When asked, a senior Southern Railway official said: “The toilets at stations will be manned by personnel so that they are not disused. Contracts for manning of toilets at stations have been handed to three agencies on Friday, and work is supposed to begin within 10 days.”

Deccan Chronicle reporter visited the stations on different days last week and the stations were found to be wanting in drinking water and proper toilet facilities.

As soon as one enters Kasturba Nagar MRTS station, a bad smell and dogs inside the station greet commuters. Many commuters were unaware of toilets at the railway stations.

“I am not sure where the toilet is,” said a commuter at the station. Another commuter was aware that the toilet was not in a condition to be used by anyone, and said she would not use the toilet at Tiruvanmiyur station.

At Tiruvanmiyur station, it was found that the ladies toilet was soiled and unfit for use with no taps and with a soiled floor. At Guindy, a toilet off the platform, was being used to dump carpentry material. Similarly, Chepauk station did not have drinking water facilities.

Another senior railway official said the agencies that would be providing staff to man the toilets would be taking care of the upkeep of the facility. He added that drinking water facilities would be provided in the coming days.