Indian Railways will have 100 per cent bio-toilets by next year that will make tracks safe and eliminate defecation on the rail lines, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.
He said that bio-toilets were one of the most successful stories of the Railways as 60 per cent of the coaches has already been fitted with it so far.
"The toilets on the entire rail network, whether passenger trains, express, Duronto, Rajdhani or unreserved ones, will be replaced with bio-toilets. We have already completed almost 60 per cent of the coaches.
"The work on the balance is going on expeditiously and by next year, it will be 100 per cent bio-toilets in the railways," the Minister said.
He said this will completely eliminate defecation on the tracks, which is not only unhygienic but affects rail safety because the uric acid damages them, causing accidents.
"The Railways proposed to complete the work of installation of bio-toilets in balance coaches in 2019. An outlay of Rs 12.20 billion has been provided for completion of this work," Goyal said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.
He said work was on to retrofit additional vacuum- assisted flushing units in these toilets, which have been developed with the help of the DRDO under the 'Make In India' drive instead of importing them.