This is the second petition filed against the DMRC in a year after the organisation was directed by the High Court in July last year to provide toilet facilities for commuters at all 59 stations. DMRC maintains that Sulabh complexes or MCD urinals are already present within a distance of 50 metre from the stations in 48 out of the 59 Metro stations constructed under Phase I. It also cited space constraint as well as issues of cleanliness as reason behind its decision.

“As for the remaining stations, staff toilets are made available ‘in case of emergencies’,” said Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson.

“Travel-time via the Metro is shorter. In Metros the world over, there are no toilets in trains,” Dayal said. The DMRC, however, plans to have toilets at the stations to be constructed under Phase II.

The new petition was filed earlier this month by an NGO, Voice of India, and is yet to be heard in the High Court.

In the hearing for the previous PIL, filed in April last year, the counsel for the DMRC had maintained that travel time from one station to another on the Delhi Metro route was shorter than the same journey on the city’s buses.”

Regarding providing drinking water facilities for commuters at stations, the DMRC stated the facility is already available on payment basis at every station.