In Kolkata, there is a sheer lack of washrooms in the public spaces. Even the existing ones aren’t usable. The metro stations particularly have no washrooms at all. And even the ones that exist around the metro stations are far from being period friendly and gender-neutral.
In a primary survey that was carried out for 3 months from the period of September 2020 to December 2020, it was found that at least 4 out of 5 menstruators and 3 out of 5 non-menstruators have faced problems during their daily commute because of the lack of washrooms and also the absence of the same in most parts of the city.
A resident from Kaikhali, North Kolkata shared her experience of using a public washroom during the survey. She stated that on one occasion when she had to use the public washroom during her periods, she didn’t even find a disposal bin to dispose of her pads. On another occasion, the taps in the washroom were broken and not in a working condition. And she stated that even though there were appointed cleaners, the washrooms were far from being clean or hygienic.
Another resident from Garia, South Kolkata shared that once when she was returning from school she realised that she started menstruating the moment she entered the Rabindra Sadan metro station which she used for her daily commute. She didn’t have pads with her and neither did she find pad vending machines and a washroom in the metro station. She had to walk all the way back to her school to collect a pad and do the needful.
These incidents aren’t isolated incidents. Multiple menstruators have shared similar such incidents during the survey which brought to light the nightmare that Kolkata metro stations are when it comes to washrooms. The metro is the most common mode of transport for thousands of people in Kolkata. Under such circumstances, the absence of something as basic as a public washroom and a pad vending machine in the metro stations pose a serious problem for the commuters.
Certain solutions that survey respondents have suggested are-
- Hire a professional agency for O&M/maintenance, with contractual terms based on feedback
- Delegate logistic work (choosing toilet site, design) to a vendor to avoid politicization
- Public awareness to encourage the use of the facilities and dedicated complaint number
- Surprise and regular inspection checks to improve quality control
Local governments need to take into consideration the fact that there are menstruating people who need clean, hygienic toilets and for everybody else too, clean and hygienic washrooms are a necessity.