DMRC Introduces Separate Toilets For Transgenders at Delhi Metro Stations

To guide transgenders to these toilets, bilingual signages (English and Hindi) along with symbols for both the 'Persons with Disabilities and Transgenders'have been installed adjacent to these toilets.

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Sunday announced that all existing toilets located at metro stations premises which were hitherto meant only for Divyangjans i.e. the differently-abled people can now be allowed to be used by transgenders as well. The move aimed to ensure that the transgender passengers travelling in the metro get ‘unhindered’ access to toilets at stations. “In its efforts to provide safe space and prevent gender discrimination against transgenders, DMRC has designated its existing toilets meant only for Divyanjans so far, to be accessible for the transgenders too,” DMRC said in a communication.

The transgender community has been demanding separate toilets across the national capital. Currently, there are 347 such toilets in addition to the regular toilets for other passengers, at its station. To guide transgenders to these toilets, bilingual signages (English and Hindi) along with symbols for both the ‘Persons with Disabilities and Transgenders have been installed adjacent to these toilets. The DMRC officials have added that any transgender who wishes to use a gender-based toilet as per self-identified gender can also continue to do so despite the provision of a separate toilet for transgenders.

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

DMRC is also in the process of contemplating ways to identify dedicated locations to provide separate public toilet facilities at its upcoming stations in Phase-IV. “The provisions of section 22 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, also mandates adequate welfare measures for the transgender persons at all public buildings, including public toilet facilities,” it asserted.