Delhi Metro: Big initiative for the transgender community by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation! In a bid to ensure that the travelling transgender passengers across the Delhi Metro rail network get unhindered access to metro station toilets, the DMRC has recently made the provision of allowing them access to separate toilets at its metro stations, which were earlier meant only for Divyangjan commuters. According to a statement issued by DMRC, in order to provide safe space as well as to prevent gender discrimination against the transgender community, the existing toilets at metro stations has been designated by Delhi Metro on priority basis that so far, were meant only for Divynagjans, to be accessible for transgender commuters as well.
At present, the Delhi Metro rail network has as many as 347 separate dedicated toilets at its metro stations in addition to the regular toilets for other commuters. To provide guidance to transgender commuters to these toilets at metro stations, bilingual signages (in both English and Hindi languages) along with symbols for both the ‘Transgenders’ and ‘Persons with Disabilities’ have been installed adjacent to these toilets at metro stations. Apart from this provision of separate toilets for transgenders, if still any transgender commuter wishes to use gender based toilet at metro stations as per self identified gender, can continue to do so.
According to the DMRC statement, the corporation is also in the process of contemplating ways to identify dedicated locations at its upcoming metro stations under the Phase IV metro project to provide separate public toilet facilities for transgenders. As per the provisions of Section 22 of the Transgender People (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019, for the transgender persons, it is mandatory to provide adequate welfare measures at all public buildings across the country including public toilet facilities, the DMRC statement added.