To
Indian Railway Ministry and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal
Indian Railway Ministry took in March 2018 announced to install pad-vending machines on 200 railway stations across the country. As a pilot project, they installed the first pad-vending machine in Bhopal Railway Station. So, far from New Delhi, Nanded, Aurangabad to many railway stations the machine has been installed.
Recently, I was on Gorakhpur Railway Station in U.P. and heard that there is a pad-vending machine on the station. So, I started looking for that machine and since the station is so huge with some 15-16 platforms, I got confused about where to find one. So, I googled and found out that it is located in the toilet of A/C 2nd Class Women’s Lounge on Platform No.-2. Since I was traveling in A/c third class I was not allowed to enter the lounge left alone using the machine.
My concern here is: Railways is providing machines on the platforms but women in the majority are not aware of it. Also, since the location of the pad-vending machine is not known it is difficult to locate on big railway stations like New Delhi and others. Most of the pad-vending machines are installed in the toilets of A/C women’s lounge where passengers of other classes are not allowed to use the toilet. Despite the availability of the machines on the platforms, because of these reasons its not reachable by the majority of women travelers.
ASK:
- I want Indian Railway Ministry to put a display showing the location of the machines and instructions to use them on all the platforms of those railway stations where the pad vending machines are installed
- Make it accessible for all women passengers: If the machine is installed in the toilet of A/C women’s lounge, make it accessible for all women passengers traveling in other classes, allow them to use it, OR install it somewhere where it is accessible by all.
Thanks
Tanvi Mishra