CR asks NGOs to help in toilet upkeep at local train stations

Railways has planned to improve toilet facilities at 48 suburban train stations in the metropolis, for which it has asked several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), a senior official said today.
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a subsidiary of Indian Railways, is mandated for infrastructure improvement of Mumbai's suburban railway with the financial and logistical support from Maharashtra government.
"33 (Mumbai) suburban railway stations are included in the list of 400 stations, which are to be revamped through public-private partnership (PPP) model, in accordance with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu's budgetary announcement earlier this year," S K Sood, General Manager of Central Railway (CR), told PTI.

"There are 48 suburban railway stations where we are finding it hard to provide proper toilet facilities. We expect NGOs to come forward and help us in improving the toilets at these stations," he said.
"NGOs have evinced interest in the plan. One of the NGOs has taken up the task to maintain (toilets at) seven stations," he said.
"Once we improve the cleanliness situation of the toilets, we can move on to revamp the other infrastructural facilities at the stations," he further said.
The official said the NGOs can construct toilet at the station and 70 per cent of the surrounding area can be used for displaying advertisements so as to reduce the cost of operations.

He said the Railways is primarily banking on the NGOs for the proposal, failing which it would approach the MRVC.