With all its survey results indicating the need for cleaner and additional toilets, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has now taken up the project of installing additional public toilet utilities even outside its station premises.
To begin with, the Delhi Metro has constructed three toilet blocks outside the Badarpur, Udyog Nagar and Nangloi metro stations.
The facilities can be utilised by locals even if they do not use the metro.
“In the initial phase, we have installed three six-seater toilet blocks for males, females and the differently-abled. The unit at Badarpur station is already functional,” said a DMRC spokesperson.
All the units will be maintained by Sulabh International Social Organisation.
Under the Phase-III project, the DMRC has planned to focus more on easy access to public convenience units.
Delhi’s existing metro network has a total of 162 public toilet utilities (PTUs), all of which are located in the unpaid area of the stations.
An unpaid area is one where thoroughfare is allowed without swiping a smart card or token through the AFC gates.
The good news is that in the upcoming stations, people will be able to use PTUs even after they have swiped their cards for taking a metro which, according to officials, is going to be a first in the Delhi metro. “In all the stations coming under the Phase-III project, toilets will also be opened in the paid area of the stations. So, commuters will be able to use the facilities quite near to the platforms from where they board the metro,” said Anuj Dayal, Executive Director (Corporate Communications), DMRC.
Besides, the Delhi metro also recently added 30 new toilet blocks in its existing stations apart from renovating 20 others.
Facilities in stations like Kashmere Gate, Rajiv Chowk, Kanhaiya Nagar, INA station, Rajouri Garden, Patel Nagar, Janakpuri East, Pragati Maidan, Noida Sector – 15, Noida Sector – 16, Noida Sector – 18, Vaishali, Dilshad Garden, Noida City Centre, Moti Nagar, Race Course, Jhandewalan and Ramesh Nagar have received a facelift recently.
