The condition of women has seen improvement with the implementation of toilets in every household nationwide, particularly in rural areas. However, for female loco pilots, taking restroom breaks poses a significant challenge. To address this, women train drivers must communicate via walkie-talkie to request a break, a message that is relayed from the station master to the control room, and eventually, when the train halts at a suitable station, they can access restroom facilities.
Female train drivers have expressed discomfort with this informal process, which often leads to delays in accessing restroom facilities, causing them to wait for extended periods. A female loco pilot highlighted that if they require a restroom break, they first need to inform their male counterpart who then notifies the station master. Subsequently, this message is transmitted to the control room responsible for train operations.
Consequently, multiple officers are informed via walkie-talkie about the female driver's restroom request. The majority of women train drivers, who make up over 1,700 personnel in the railways, face this uncomfortable situation. Of this group, 90 percent are assistant loco pilots, serving as assistants to male loco pilots on passenger or freight trains.