Illegal toilet fees flagged

A social media post on April 20 accused operators near platforms 5 and 6 at Old Delhi station of charging passengers to use station toilets, raising questions about whether the fee matched railway rules. (x.com) Indian Railways allows stations to run some toilets on a “pay and use” model, but the Railway Board’s 2015 policy says each zone must set its own operating rules and keep toilet maintenance under formal supervision. (vcrc.in) Older railway licensing rules, still reflected on zonal railway pages, say normal pay-and-use toilets can be placed at one end of platforms at higher-category stations, while deluxe toilets belong in circulating areas outside the platforms. (scr.indianrailways.gov.in) Those same licensing terms say rate lists should be displayed at entry points and that a clear sign should show urinals are free, which is why unposted or blanket charges can become a flashpoint for passengers. (scr.indianrailways.gov.in) Old Delhi, also known as Delhi Junction or DLI, is one of the capital’s oldest and busiest stations, and crowd-sourced station guides place food outlets and passenger traffic near platform 5, close to the area mentioned in the complaint. (railyatri.in) For passengers, the practical issue is not just the fee itself but whether the toilet is part of an authorized contract, whether the charges are posted, and whether any free urinal access is being blocked. (vcrc.in; scr.indianrailways.gov.in) Indian Railways directs station complaints to its RailMadad system, which accepts station-specific grievances online and through its app, with uploads for photos or other supporting files. (railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in) As of April 21, no public response from Northern Railway or Old Delhi station officials appeared in the sources reviewed here, so the central question is now whether railway staff treat the post as evidence of an unauthorized collection point or a licensed toilet charging outside posted rules. (railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in; vcrc.in)