VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam railway station seems to have an exemption from the Swachh Bharat campaign. While toilets are being built in schools and slums in the city, the platforms of the city railway station are still awaiting restrooms. Though platform no 1 which has most passengers, has two toilets, and platform no 8 has a pay and use toilet, there is no toilet of any sort on other platforms.
The existing toilets are far from the entrance, lack maintenance and are in an unhygienic condition, said a passenger. When a passenger on platform no 4 or 3 needs to go to the toilet, he has to rush to platform no 1 or 8. It is even more difficult for women and children, said a government employee who was rushing to Vijayawada for Pushkarams.
Even vendors who work round-the-clock on the platforms either use the toilets on the two platforms or the toilets in the trains when they halt. Though there are sign boards advising the passengers not to use toilets in trains when they halt at a station, the passengers are left with no option due to the lack of toilets on the platforms.
“There is a pay and use toilet on platform no 8 but it is never used by anyone and it is not maintained properly too. I have recently visited Vijayawada and found that there are toilets on every platform. Why can’t Vizag station, considered a tourist getaway, have toilets on every platform, giving a decent impression for the tourists,” pointed a retired Railway employee.
On the issue, divisional railway manager Chandralekha Mukherjee said, “There are so many issues involved in building have toilets on every platform. For the Krishna Pushkarams we have set up mobile toilets outside for the convenience of the passengers. We will discuss the issue.’