Mumbai: As part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts by the D-Mart Foundation, an airport standard toilet facility has come up for passengers on the platform number four of Central Railway's Ghatkopar station. The The passengers will not be charged any fees for using the facility.
Previously, this platform only had a urinal block for men with four urinals. The upgraded toilet block now boasts two toilets and six urinals for men, along with three toilets for women.
Old picture of the toilet | FPJ
1st toilet block to be upgraded within the Division
"This marks the first toilet block within the Division to receive an upgrade through CSR by the D-Mart Foundation. They plan to extend their efforts to upgrade the toilet block on platforms 2/3 of Ghatkopar and subsequently platform number one, with completion expected in the current financial year," said an official of CR.
Furthermore, the D-Mart Foundation will maintain the newly upgraded toilet block for an initial period of 2 years, which can be extended up to 3 more years.
Ghatkopar station holds the distinction of being the fourth busiest station in Central Railway's Mumbai division, having on average daily footfalls of nearly 3.20 lakh passengers . At Ghatkopar, 740 local trains ( up and down) are being handled daily basis.
In terms of daily footfalls, CSMT leads the way with approximately 10.5 lakh passengers, followed by Thane with around 4.5 lakh daily footfalls and Kalyan with 3.35 lakh.
Passengers happy with initiative
Passengers have expressed their satisfaction and gratitude for this much-needed initiative, with many urging similar upgrades at other stations. Bharat Shah, a frequent traveler between Ghatkopar and CSMT, highlighted the dire condition of most station toilet blocks and called for the railway to implement such plans across all suburban sections. Naresh Kamble, another regular commuter on Central Railway, stressed the importance of upgrading station toilet blocks as a basic necessity and urged the railway to prioritize this project.
"Rajnish Kumar Goyal, who has taken charge as DRM of Mumbai Division, Central Railway last year, is committed to improving sanitation for Mumbaikars. Under his leadership, the D-Mart Foundation is set to upgrade the toilet blocks on platforms two and three of Ghatkopar Station, with plans to enhance the facilities on platform one in the current financial year," said an official.
In addition to these efforts, Goyal's team is testing innovative solutions like OlerTrap for odor control in the gents' urinals at CSMT Station's waiting hall area. They are also experimenting with a vayutron ionizer at another CSMT Station toilet block to combat odors. Depending on their effectiveness, these initiatives may be implemented at other toilet blocks.
Furthermore, there are plans to provide exclusive women's toilets, addressing the specific needs of female passengers. "Local commuters are optimistic that CRs team will continue to make strides in improving restroom facilities throughout the Mumbai division" said Shalini Sharma of Kalyan.
