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  Metros   Mumbai  13 Nov 2017  Now, swipe to rate WR toilets

Now, swipe to rate WR toilets

THE ASIAN AGE. | ARPIKA BHOSALE
Published : Nov 13, 2017, 1:01 am IST
Updated : Nov 13, 2017, 1:01 am IST

QR codes will allow commuters to rank restrooms’ hygiene via mobiles.

The ranking system could be based on a scale of 1 to 10 or could have several categories. (Photo: Shripad Naik)
 The ranking system could be based on a scale of 1 to 10 or could have several categories. (Photo: Shripad Naik)

Mumbai: Commuters will soon be able to rate the hygiene level of every toilet on each of Western Railway’s (WR) 32 stations from Churchgate to Dahanu.

A unique Quick Response (QR) code will be placed on the wall of each toilet, which users will be able to scan to access previous users’ rankings. The ranking system, which is yet to be finalised, could be based on a scale of 1 to 10 or could have the categories ‘bad’, ‘satisfactory’, ‘good’ and ‘very good’.

According to sources, Railway wants genuine toilet-related feedback from commuters, as they are maintained by contractors, whose feedback, officials feel, is not genuine. The feedback will be eventually provided to each contractor, who will be asked to make improvements.

Emphasising the importance of hearing from commuters, an official said, “A lot of times, we put our men on survey duty and sometimes contractors give us feedback but we want direct feedback from the commuters. These contractors are given a lot of money to build and maintain these toilets.” The contract given to each contractor is for at least two to three years, according to railway norms and many commuters complain that the toilets aren’t hygienic enough to use in the first place. In fact, many woman commuters often resort to answering nature’s call in nearby cafes and malls, fearing urinary track infection.

One such commuter, designer Hiral Mehta (26), who resides in Mahim and travel to Andheri for her work, said, “You have a tendency to use the toilets more during winter and the monsoon, but I have held it in because station toilets are just too dirty.”

The WR is also looking into the possibility of linking the QR system with Disha, its own passenger information app, which was launched earlier this year.

Another official said, “We want to eventually link the toilet feedback feature with Disha, so we get the report on each station and every toilet unit from commuters directly.”

How QR codes will work?

  • Users can scan the QR code via phone camera and it will automatically re-directed to the user to the rating page
  • The page would have a ranking system
  • The ranking system could be based on a scale of 1 to 10 or could have several categories.
  • If launched via Disha app, it would be more user-friendly as the app would have toilet feature tab
  • Once a user hits the tab, it would take the user to the camera and then to the rating page
  • To use the app, the users will have to turn on the GPS system 

Tags: western railway, qr system