Mumbai: In a pioneering move, India’s first odourless air-conditioned (AC) toilet at a railway station was inaugurated at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Thursday. The toilet block, located on the main concourse area opposite platforms 5-6, boasts 14 urinals, 13 toilets (including facilities for the physically challenged), and 12 wash basins.
While the AC toilet is well-lit and bright in comparison to the adjacent non-AC counterpart, day one witnessed a few taps attached to wash basins and urinals running dry, prompting Central Railway (CR) officials to assure the public that minor pending work would be addressed promptly.
“We have made critical changes to the toilet block to ensure that it remains odourless. A two-stage treatment has been adopted and there is a well-channeled filtration process, with an exhaust vent installed above each urinal. We are also using enzymes that contain foul ammonia,” said a CR official.
Each urinal/toilet in the block is equipped with a 50mm thick pre-filter, followed by two 150mm thick activated charcoal filters to absorb foul smells. Ozone gas is introduced into the exhaust airstream to eliminate any remaining odours. The treated air is then released into the atmosphere through the building’s top. The system operates with an air input capacity of 7,200 cubic feet per minute and an exhaust capacity of 8,000 cubic feet per minute.
Sources revealed that CR terminated the contract for the existing toilet at CSMT due to poor maintenance, leading to foul smells. CR General Manager RK Yadav inspected both the new and old toilet blocks at CSMT on January 3, addressing the issues of the ill-maintained old block.
