DHARMAPURI: The restrooms at the Dharmapuri Junction railway station have been shut due to ongoing construction works, inconveniencing commuters no end. The railway authorities say they have been shut temporarily for the safety of passengers.
For the convenience of passengers, the South Western Railway has begun the construction of an escalator connecting Platforms 1 and 2 under the Amrith Bharat scheme. But due to the construction, the restrooms have been closed down causing distress to passengers.
Passengers urged the authorities to take steps to keep a restroom at the station open.
S Kumaresan from Dharmapuri said, "For the past one week, passengers arriving here have had no means to use the restroom. It has been locked as a nearly two-foot deep ditch has been dug in front of the restroom on Platform 1. The restrooms on Platform 2 have not been opened to the public for close to a year now. So right now there are no functioning restrooms. There is a retiring room on the first floor, passengers are not allowed to use it."
Another commuter, R Sivalingam, a daily wage worker from Adhiyamankottai, said, "It is extremely distressing for women. It is fine to close down the restroom for construction but alternatives should have been provided. Moreover, it is not even a big construction project. People can still access the restrooms, but we just need it to be opened. At present it has been locked. We are also not getting any help from the staff here. They are merely directing us to the platforms," he said.
Over 30 passenger trains arrive at the Dharmapuri railway junction daily and over 2,000 commuters rely on the station.
When TNIE spoke to officials in the Dharmapuri railway junction they said, "For the safety of passengers the restrooms in platforms have been closed. We will make the necessary arrangements."