Toilets in Indian trains

Found this interesting information in Bangalore majestic station's waiting room:
Akhil Chandra Sen, a passenger wrote the following letter to Indian railways in the year 1909.

I am arriving by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much
swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance
that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with 'lotah'
in one hand and 'dhoti' in the next when I am fall over and expose all my
shocking to man and female women on platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur
station.
This too much bad, if passenger goes to make dung that dam guard
not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honor to make big
fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report! to
papers.

During those days there were no toilet facility inside trains and the letter made railways introduce them. Many times think 'what difference it is going to make?' and start accepting problems. On the other hand, when issues are raised against concerned people, solutions will start emerging.

Comments

Unknown said…
this letter in original is also kept in the Rail Museum at Delhi.
6:15 PM
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