CHENNAI: At the far end of the Chennai Park railway station, which sees an average footfall exceeding 1.5 lakh a day, is a restroom complex with separate facilities for women and men. Nearby, there is also room with a ramp for differently-abled persons. This makes the station one among the very few on the suburban network to have such a facility.
But that idea vanished into thin air when this reporter found it locked on Wednesday as well as on Friday. A caretaker, who claimed to be filling in for the supervisor said, “The facility is not in use and does not have water pipe connection. A hosepipe is used to take water inside.”
Inside, there were brooms, boxes and other items used for maintenance. The room which wore a dirty look was being used for purposes other than for which it was intended to. When asked why the room was kept locked, the caretaker replied that it could be opened on demand.
V Senthilnathan, a daily commuter working in Nungambakkam who uses the station to cross over to the Avadi line, wondered about the room’s utility if it continued to be kept under locks. “Besides disabled persons, this facility could also be used by the elderly. It doesn’t make sense to have such a facility in the first place and then not use it.”
When Express contacted the station master, he said, “I have instructed the contractor to clean up the restroom.”