Title - Only one toilet in Visakhapatnam railway station!

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam railway station, with a footfall of 20,000 passengers and at least 87 trains from various parts of the country stopping there everyday, lags in providing basic toilet facilities on its platforms. With seven out of the eight platforms at the station having no toilet facilities, unsanitary conditions prevail on the premises.

The issue was brought to the notice of senior railway officials several times, including general manager of East Coast Railways (ECoR) Indra Ghosh, which was duly swept under the carpet, alleged J V Satyannarayana Murthy, convener of the Separate Railway Zone Sadhana Samiti.

"All the platforms at the station are considered important because of the trains that halt there. Hence there is a constant rush of passengers everywhere. As there are no toilets around, most people, including children, relieve themselves on the tracks at the end of the platforms," said Murthy.

The Waltair division has annual revenue of about Rs 4,300 crore, which includes Rs 3,800 crore from freight traffic and Rs 350 crore from passenger services. However, basic amenities are missing at the station, which is the third busiest railway station in the state, Murthy pointed out.

A senior railway official said on condition of anonymity that they receive complaints every day about the lack of sanitation at the station as well as requests from passengers for provision of toilets on the platforms. The officer admitted that platform number 8 has toilets which are non-functional.

A government employee, G Govinda Rao, who commutes daily between Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, told TOI that he had once alighted at platform number 5 and found no toilet there. He was then told by a tea vendor to go to platform number 1. "It is really an ordeal for the aged, women and children in particular," Rao said.

Businessman M Kiran Kumar, a regular commuters, said that lack of toilets at a busy railway station like Vizag, which generates huge revenue for the Railways, would certainly create a bad impression on visitors and tourists. "Visakhapatnam is considered to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The Railways should also think about the services that it provides to the passengers at the railway station," Kiran said.

Waltair divisional railway manager Anil Kumar admitted that there was a problem and told TOI that he would discuss it with his staff on Monday.

A senior railway official on condition of anonymity said they get complaints about lack of sanitation at the station as well as requests to provide toilets on the platforms. The officer admitted that toilets on platform 8 are non-functional.