Bio Toilets

BIO-TOILETS IN TRAINS TO BE A REALITY SOON

By S.N. Venkatnag Sobers
Soon people travelling long distances in trains will get respite from the stench of toilets as the Indian Railways has decided to replace the existing toilets inside bogies with ‘Green Toilets.’
The Indian Railway has joined hands with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the development of bio-toilets.
Earlier, the waste was discharged directly to the tracks resulting in an unfriendly atmosphere at the Railway Stations and a stinking smell along the tracks. The installation of bio-toilets will enable passengers to have a pleasant journey and also a hygienic and friendly atmosphere at the Railway Stations. The new system will treat the waste using bacteria and convert the same to harmless gas and water.
The installation of bio-toilets in trains was recommended by a special committee with regard to safety formed by Railway Ministry. The Indian Railway has a target to install 2,500 bio-toilets during 2012-13 budget.
However, there was no mention about the installation of bio-toilets during the previous Railway Budget presented by Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. But it is expected the new system is slowly taking shape and would be implemented by all Railway units.
The South Western Railways has also taken up the matter seriously. Mysore Railway Station is considered to be one of the cleanest in the country and has successfully maintained cleanliness in the Station. Initially, the bio-toilets will be installed in trains travelling from Mysore and Hubli and will be extended to all stations soon.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, U. Subbarao, Chief Workshop Manager, Central Railway Workshop, Mysore, said: “The project is being implemented throughout the year by the Indian Railways. The project is expected to take shape once we receive the procurement from Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, which has been given the responsibility of supplying the necessary materials for the installation of bio-toilets.”
Indian Railway has already installed bio-toilets in a few selected trains on an experimental basis successfully. Now, it has decided to install the same in all trains stage by stage.
Subbarao also mentioned that each bio-toilet would cost around Rs 3.5 lakh and initially around 100 coaches would be fitted with bio-toilets.
With the Railways taking initiative to install bio-toilets inside the coaches, train travelling would be much more comfortable than before.