Bhubaneswar: An automatic sanitary napkin vending machine has been installed in a coach of the Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express.
The train became the first to have such facility under the East Coast Railways (ECoR) region, an official said Tuesday.
An initiative of the East Coast Railway Women’s Welfare Organisation (ECoRWWO) for promoting and securing women’s well-being and health, the
machine was inaugurated by its president Madhulika Singh.
ECoR Chief Spokesperson JP Mishra said it has been installed on a trial basis and the move would be extended to other trains as well on the basis of its response.
“This is the first train under the East Coast region in which a sanitary pad dispensation machine has been installed. It is useful for women passengers in long-distance train journeys. We will extend this plan in
other trains as well,” Mishra said.
The slim and sleek vending machine dispenses the sanitary napkin when Rs 5 coin is dropped into it. It has a capacity of 25 napkins, which are refilled from time to time.
“We have provided on-board sanitary napkin vending machine in Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express for the convenience of women
passengers as part of promoting and securing women’s well-being and health,” Singh said after inaugurating the facility. Notably, an automatic sanitary napkin vending machine was already installed inside the 2nd class ladies waiting hall on Platform No-1.
Bhubaneswar station was the first railway station in the state to have such a machine. Later the facility was installed at Puri, Sambalpur, Visakhapatnam stations under the ECoR jurisdiction.
According ECoR sources, the service at the station has been received well by the women passengers. More than 500 napkins were dispensed from the machine in the last three months.
Earlier, the Sanitary vending machine was first was installed in a coach of Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in the country on the occasion of International Women’s Day this year.
PNN