Kannur: For the first time, the Vande Bharat Sleeper’s locomotive cab has been equipped with a toilet. Modern toilet units have been installed in both engine sections of the train. One side can be used by the loco pilot, while the other is designated for the train manager (guard).

The absence of a toilet in the loco cab has long caused huge difficulty for loco pilots, especially women. Many of them avoid drinking water for hours. Since the train must strictly maintain its schedule, they cannot go to the toilet in the other coaches or the brake van at the rear. In the latest locomotives, a small toilet is currently being provided, but these units cannot meet all the basic needs.

Despite the advanced technology of the Vande Bharat series, toilets were not introduced in the locomotive cab. A modification was made allowing access from the loco cab to the passenger coach toilets, but this feature does not exist in other trains. The air-conditioned loco cab that came with the Vande Bharat is now also available in the Vande Bharat Sleeper.

‘Major development’

Introducing toilets in the loco cab is a major development. Women loco pilots, in particular, have faced severe hardship when attending to basic needs during train operations. Currently, no train in Kerala has a toilet in its locomotive cab, says Maria Goretti, Vande Bharat and Express Loco Pilot.