RailEnquiry

Caption: The Controlled Toilet Discharge System (CTDS) installed in a train coach being overhauled at the Mysore Railway Workshop.

Mysore, Apr. 19- In order to maintain cleanliness and hygiene at the railway stations, the Controlled Discharge Toilet System (CDTS) is being used in the coaches of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duranto trains since last year.

Mysore Railway Workshop Chief Manager U. Subba Rao told SOM recently that in the CDTS system, a container attached to the bottom of train toilet holds the contents until the train attains a speed of 30 kmph, after which the wastes are discharged.

“This prevents the toilets from releasing contents at stations. So far, 5,300 CDTS units have been provided in 1,900 coaches, built under transfer of technology imported from Germany,” said Rao and agreed that this system only shifts the problem from the station area to outside station limits.”

“A total of 68 bio-toilets based on anaerobic bacteria, imported from the US, and 436 bio-toilets based on anaerobic bacteria and developed indigenously by DRDO are already in operation in nine trains,” he said.

“In the bio-toilet system, anaerobic bacteria consume waste material and convert it into water and gas. The water passes through a chlorine tank and is discharged as clean water, while the gas generated evaporates. The technology is not used in any other railway system in the world,” he said and added that this would prevent the corrosion of the metal railway tracks and other materials.