While the lack of toilet facilities is clearly a problem for men as well, women drivers at Indian Railways face additional issues during their period. With toilet facilities installed in only 97 train engines, women loco drivers say they have learned to just “bottle it up.”
Some use sanitary napkins, others cut down on water intake and there are those who clamp down on their career dreams to sit in an office instead. Mostly prefer to go on leave rather than face the embarrassment of long hours without access to a toilet.
“The problem of absence of toilets is common among both men and women. However, as a woman professional, I find it very insulting that every time during my period, I have to take leave,” said an assistant loco pilot who drives short-distance goods trains, “On other days, the thought of driving the train without a bathroom break is excruciating.”
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“While the Indian Railways has made all arrangements, be it in terms of scheduling or even giving us leave… The lack of toilets is like a daily war we have to wage during work hours. I just try to control it, bottle it up,” she told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Another young woman spoke of her childhood dream – of driving trains, navigating harsh terrains, and testing her skills on the Western Ghat railway line. She qualified to become a train driver. But five years into the job, she spends most of her time sitting in her office, afraid she will embarrass herself if she tries to drive with no toilet in the loco.
Six years after the then railway minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the first locomotive fitted with a bio-toilet, only about 97 have been installed so far, officials said.
Indian Railways has more than 14,000 diesel-electric locomotives. Of the more than 60,000 loco pilots on its rolls, about 1,000 are women, most of whom drive short-distance goods trains.
The Railways said in a statement that subsequent to the Railway Budget announcement in 2013 and persistent demand, a decision was taken to provide water closets (toilets) in electric locos being built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). So far, 97 electric locos have been fitted with water closets, it said. The Railways only assigns short 200 km-300 km stretches to women, that too with their approval. But shifts can often extend to 12 hours.
“This includes waiting in the yard, preparing for the journey, and then actually driving the goods train at 40 kmph for anywhere between five to seven hours at a stretch. There are no facilities for women in any of these places. I wear a sanitary pad in case I have an accident,” said another woman loco pilot who did not want to be named.
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Her colleague explained that goods trains have no toilet facilities. But the situation in passenger trains is also bad because there is not enough time for them to alight and board another coach to use the toilet.
Alok Verma, former president of The Indian Railway Loco Running Men’s Organisation (IRLRO), approached the National Human Rights Commission on the issue. The Railways, he said, is denying loco pilots — both men and women – their basic rights “In the reply to the commission, the Railways had said it would install toilets in all locos. However, the order of NHRC has not been implemented. A loco pilot spends a minimum of 10-12 hours driving and has no chance of being relieved if a journey is underway… They don’t eat or go to the washroom. It is inhuman,” Verma told PTI.
“The women who are recruited as loco pilots and assistant loco pilots either sit in offices or go on short journeys primarily because of the lack of toilets. Imagine their plight,” he added. According to MN Prasad, general secretary, All-India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), the fight to get toilets on engines has been a long one.
“This gains more significance with more and more women doing the job. While it is painful for all loco pilots, it is more so for women. We have been exerting pressure but nothing has come of it,” said Prasad. The organizations say the Railways has maintained it is not feasible to authorise drivers to halt a running train for taking refreshments or for bathroom breaks.
The condition, some of the women said, is so bad that many stop drinking water during their shifts altogether. The lack of this basic amenity is also hampering their career prospects, they said.
“I prefer wearing sanitary napkins while on shift and drinking as little water as possible. What is more discouraging for me is the fact that while I have been posted as a loco pilot I get to be on the wheel for short distances only and that too not as frequently as I would like,” said one woman.
“This is primarily because we are women and there is no toilet in the engine. The men can just squat anywhere,” added another. In fact, there is no separate toilet and restroom for women even at stations where there are “running rooms” for men, they said. Women can use them but shy away from doing so.
Running rooms are places where the crew, including the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, and goods guard, take rest at stations other than their home station after duty hours or in between shifts.
Loco pilots in Britain, the US, and Europe get a 20-25 minute break every four hours. In these regions, loco pilots perform a duty for 48 hours per week. In India, that number goes up to 54 hours. Railway officials said women loco pilots are assigned duties according to their convenience.
(With inputs from PTI)