BHUBANESWAR: The stinky toilets in railway coaches are now passe. In order to provide clean and eco-friendly travel experience, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has successfully completed 100 per cent installation of bio-toilets fitted with innovative ventilation system.
Bio-toilets convert the human waste into water and bio-gases with the help of bacteria. The mechanism has brought a sea change in sustainable management of solid waste in railways. As many as 3,247 inventory of coaches, including 2,534 Integral Coach Factory coaches and 713 Linke Hofmann Busch coaches of ECoR have been fitted with eco-friendly bio-toilets.
The ECoR has also improved the functioning of bio-toilets by introducing the venturi system. The new system ensures proper cross-ventilation of fresh air in the toilets. It will overcome the issue of foul smell from the bio-toilets.
The bio-toilets will not only help maintain cleanliness by preventing discharge of human waste on railway tracks, but also protect tracks from corrosion. The loos will reduce the maintenance cost of railway assets and improve safety of train operation.
A railway spokesperson said a soft flush system has been provided in the bio-toilets. The lockdown disrupting railway services helped complete the installation of the toilets. He said that the litter bins have also been provided in each toilet fitted with bio-tanks to avoid dumping of waste into toilet pans.
The technological upgradation was initiated after the previous bio-toilets elicited quite a lot of complaints regarding their upkeep and poor services leading to overflowing of human waste due to lack of timely maintenance.