MUMBAI: A video of a motorman urinating in the open at Panvel station has done more than spark outrage over civic sense on social media. It has brought into focus a problem that railway unions say has been ignored for years: the lack of toilets for motormen and train managers at several suburban stations across Mumbai.
Event Context
Days after the incident, the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) has written to the railway administration demanding toilets and restrooms for running staff at eight key stations, saying employees are being left with little choice during long shifts.
In its July 17 letter, the union said the absence of toilets at crew-changing points and working locations has become a serious welfare issue, forcing railway staff into embarrassing situations while also exposing them to public complaints and disciplinary action.
Union leaders said the Panvel incident was not an exception but a symptom of a larger problem.
“Following the complaint over the incident at Panvel, the administration reportedly sought an explanation from the concerned motorman, even though staff members have repeatedly highlighted the lack of sanitation facilities. The root cause is the absence of adequate restroom and toilet facilities at crew-changing and working locations. This is unfair for the staff,” said a senior union leader.
The union said it has repeatedly raised the issue in meetings with the administration, but little has changed on the ground.
Match Outlook
The demand stems from the nature of a motorman’s job. Running staff often finish one trip and wait for the next at different stations, sometimes for extended periods. Without dedicated staff toilets, many walk to commuter toilet blocks located at the far ends of platforms or stations. Union leaders say that when those options are unavailable, some employees end up relieving themselves in the open.
Central Railway officials said they have taken note of the union’s letter. “We understand that there is an issue for the running staff. We will be studying the demand made by the unions,” said a Central Railway official.
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According to the union, members of the public have increasingly begun recording such incidents on their mobile phones and threatening railway employees with complaints to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and railway authorities. “This not only causes mental harassment to the running staff but also tarnishes the image of the railway administration,” the letter states.
It has now sought dedicated toilet facilities for motormen and train managers at Thane (platforms 9 and 10), Panvel, Titwala, Badlapur, Ambernath, Vashi, Nerul and Belapur. Railway sources said Thane and Panvel have been identified as the most urgent locations.
