Delhi Metro: Trans community get separate toilets at stations

DMRC has allowed the transgender community access to separate toilet facilities at its metro stations.

New Delhi: In a bid to enhance accessibility for passengers belonging to the transgender community, the DMRC has allowed them access to separate toilet facilities at its metro stations, which were hitherto meant only for persons with disability, officials said on Sunday (August 29).

Besides, any transgender who wishes to use a gender-based toilet as per self-identified gender can also continue to do so, they say. 

At present, Delhi Metro has 347 such separate toilets across its stations, a senior official said. "In its efforts to provide safe space and prevent gender discrimination against transgenders, Delhi Metro on a priority basis has designated its existing toilets meant only for 'Divyangjans' so far, to be accessible for the transgenders too," the DMRC said in a statement.

To ensure that transgender passengers travelling by the Delhi Metro get access to toilets at stations, DMRC has made the provision of allowing them access to separate toilets, which were meant for Divyanjans. To read more about this initiative click here: https://t.co/0IhtiCEazK pic.twitter.com/yWjUAWEg42

— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें (@OfficialDMRC) August 29, 2021

To guide transgenders to these toilets, bilingual signages (English and Hindi both), along with symbols for both categories -- 'Persons with Disability' and 'Transgenders' -- have been installed adjacent to these toilets. The DMRC later tweeted about this move, and shared pictures of a toilet facility with signages for both the categories of commuters.

"DMRC has made the provision of allowing them (transgenders) access to separate toilets, which were meant for 'Divyangjans'," Delhi Metro tweeted. The provisions of section 22 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, mandates adequate welfare measures for transgender persons at all public buildings including public toilet facilities, the statement said.

The Delhi Metro network spans about 390 km with 285 stations (including the Noida?Greater Noida Metro Corridor and Rapid Metro, Gurgaon).