Railways to build washroom in engines on loco pilots’ request

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

The Indian Railways has over 1,000 women pilots.

The pilots, even quoting safety concerns, had expressed discomfort in performing duty without the provision of a toilet for them.

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

To assure NHRC, the Indian Railways also installed water closets in 97 engines as pilot projects, and officials said that Railways will now be finalizing one of the designs from these 97 water closets.

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

“Issues occur more during winters as women pilots have no washrooms available and are forced to rush to the washrooms in the coaches when the train reaches a station. Fearing such issues, women pilots prefer taking a desk job during extreme winters,” a loco pilot said, adding that she was happy that the national transporter was finally constructing urinals.

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