Refurbished airport loos set to give relief from stink
Times of India | 7 July 2024
Kolkata: City airport authorities are in the process of completely refurbishing all washrooms in the arrival and departure terminals following a flood of complaints on the micro-blogging site X about the unpleasant odor and unsightly stains in the washrooms.
Currently, three units, each having separate washrooms for men, women and individuals with special needs, have undergone a complete renovation.These newly refurbished washrooms are set to open to the public within a week. The remaining washrooms will also undergo upgrades to ensure a consistent and improved experience for travellers.
TOI had written on multiple steps the authorities have taken — from periodic refresher courses for the housekeeping agency and stringent monitoring protocol but finding none of the means working, the authorities have gone for a complete overhaul of the sanitary wares, fixtures and tiles in washrooms. The authorities are also in the process of replacing current housekeeping team responsible for maintaining washrooms. But this change has been temporarily delayed due to pending approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“The integrated terminal is 11 years old. The washrooms in question have reached the end of their usable life. The sanitary wares and fixtures are no longer functioning optimally, and we have exhausted all possible solutions. We have concluded that the best course of action is to undertake a complete refurbishment of these washrooms. This will involve replacing all the sanitary wares and fixtures with brand new ones. Additionally, we will be installing new wall and floor tiles,” said Kolkata airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria.
Another official said housekeeping staff were given powerful, industrial-grade cleaning agents and stain-removers to tackle the stubborn stains in the existing toilets.
The airport has 28 pairs of washrooms for men and women and 24 washrooms for the physically disabled.
Despite efforts to improve condition of toilets in departure area, flyers noted that they still fall short when compared to facilities available at other metropolitan airports. “When can we have the cleanest toilets in Kolkata airport? Or will we never have one?” an X user with ID @culturecurry198 wrote recently.