Passengers at Malkajgiri railway station in Hyderabad have been left without public toilet facilities even as the station’s redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme remains awaiting inauguration, forcing women and other commuters to seek access to staff washrooms or use open spaces.
The passenger washrooms, including facilities intended for women, have not been opened because the redeveloped station has not yet been commissioned for public use, according to Telangana Today. Commuters said they have faced the problem for nearly two years and have urged South Central Railway authorities to provide an immediate interim solution.
Women passengers are often required to approach the station master or other railway staff to request permission to use their washrooms. In some cases, commuters have reportedly had no option but to relieve themselves in open areas near bushes. Male passengers have also been using spaces behind trees or at the far end of the platform, highlighting the absence of a basic amenity at a station serving daily rail users.
Mohd Noor Ahmed Ali, general secretary of the Train Travellers Association, has asked railway authorities to open the pending passenger washrooms without further delay, with particular emphasis on the ladies’ toilets. He said women commuters had been facing considerable inconvenience for nearly two years and called for an immediate response.
Commuters have suggested that the South Central Railway arrange at least one or two mobile toilets until the redeveloped facility is fully commissioned and opened. The request reflects a gap between the completion or availability of planned station improvements and the delivery of essential services to passengers using the existing station.
The redevelopment is being carried out under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which is intended to improve passenger amenities and station infrastructure. Rail users have said they welcome the planned improvements at Malkajgiri but want basic facilities made accessible before the formal inauguration.
The station’s inauguration has reportedly been under consideration for an event involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. However, the proposed inauguration has not materialised over the past year, leaving the redeveloped station and its passenger facilities unavailable for regular public use.
The report did not specify a revised inauguration date or confirm when the washrooms would be opened. Until the station is commissioned, commuters are seeking temporary toilets and access to essential sanitation facilities as an immediate measure.
