Zero-discharge’ toilets

Indian Railways has just moved a bit closer to eliminating the century-old system of train-toilets discharging into the tracks. After completing a successful round of trials, the Chennai-Allappey/ Trivandrum Express is now gearing up to get 56 ‘zero-discharge’ toilets. The toilets, designed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, along with the Research Design and Standards Organisation, are believed to eliminate the problems of tracks getting soiled and the concrete carpeting beneath tracks caving in with the excessive soaking of discharge from toilets; apart from adding stench to the railway station’s environment.