The third part of our audit of public toilets across the city series sheds light on filthy lavatories commuters are forced to use on Western Railway and Central Railway. The findings highlight glaring disparities between the two lines, with WR’s facilities lagging behind. (Story by Prasun Choudhari)
Updated On: 2025-01-08 04:36 PM IST
Compiled by : Joy Manikumar
Managed by the DMart Foundation rather than CR, the two lavatories at either end of the station were immaculate and could serve as a template. The toilets were well-equipped and free of cost for passengers, unlike their counterparts at other stations. (In Pic: A clean toilet at Byculla station. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi)
The toilets at Ghatkopar were in poor condition, with no urinal units installed. Users were forced to urinate directly on the wall despite being charged. (In Pic: A shut lavatory at Ghatkopar station. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar)
The paid toilet and urinals at Bhandup station were comparatively clean, though occasional lapses in maintenance were evident. (Bhandup station. FILE PIC)
Mulund station was one of the cleaner facilities operated by Railways on CR. Paid toilets and urinals were well-maintained, setting a standard for other stations. (In Pic: A toilet at Mulund station. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar)
The toilets on platform 1 at Kurla station were relatively clean, featuring modern amenities like infrared sensors for flushing urinals. However, paan stains were ubiquitous. (In Pic: Kurla station, which sees heavy footfall. FILE PIC/Sayyed Sameer Abedi)
The lone toilet on platform 1/2 at Mumbai Central painted a grim picture. Poorly maintained, it comprised only three urinals. Its walls were stained with paan. There are other toilets in the terminal building from where outstation trains operate but they are inaccessible to local train passengers. (In Pic : The urinal at Mumbai Central station. Pic/Prasun Choudhari)
Similar to Bandra, the paid toilet and urinals on platform 1 at Dadar were fairly clean. However, a lack of thorough maintenance was evident. “At least it’s usable, but for a paid service, we expect much better hygiene," said Priya Nair a daily commuter. (In Pic : Platform 1 of Dadar railway station. Pic/Anurag Ahire)
The toilet on the southern end of platform 2 at Borivli station, which only comprised urinals, left much to be desired. Despite being a paid facility, it was far from clean and emitted a stench. (In Pic: The urinal on platform 2 of Borivli station. PIC/Anurag Ahire)
The toilets at Bandra station were fairly clean, but they still failed to meet expectations. “This is better than other stations on the western line, but there’s room for improvement. Regular maintenance is crucial. The situation here is the same despite having to pay even to urinate,” said a commuter. (In Pic: Platform 1 of Bandra railway station. PIC/Anurag Ahire)
The paid toilet and urinals at platform 1 in Andheri station were also not up to the mark with paan stains marring the walls. Compared to the toilet on platform number 1, the free-to-use toilet just next to the ticket window on the east side of the station was much cleaner. (In Pic: Platform 1 of Andheri railway station. Pic/Anurag Ahire)
