New moms in Mumbai travelling in trains will now find solace in public spaces. The Western Railway (WR) launched a breastfeeding room at Bandra station on Thursday (26 Oct). This is for the first time for the suburban network that a fully fledged breastfeeding room is being operated in the railways.
Dedicated Room for Women to Breastfeed: Bandra becomes Mumbai’s first suburban station to have breastfeeding space. pic.twitter.com/hvpLZUP6Xo
— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) October 27, 2017
Commuters can find the room on the platform number one near the recently built washroom. The well-constructed room is currently operational. It has every facility, a mom may need, to feed her baby. This special arrangement is also available on stations providing long-distance trains, including Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Mumbai Central. The Railway Ministry issued a directive asking zonal heads to provide baby-feeding cubicles within waiting halls at all A1 and A category stations.
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As of now, local stations under the Central Railway do not have this facility available.
Other than Bandra, at Dadar station on the platform number six, moms would easily find similar room reserved for breastfeeding.
“Space was available at Bandra railway station for the room,” said Mukul Jain, divisional railway manager, WR. Jain also confirmed that they have planned something more elaborate and soon to expand similar rooms at other station, Hindustan Times reported.
Read Also: Pune Mother Asked To Get Off Train Because Open “Breastfeeding Is Disturbing”
The set up came in the frame after Women and Child Development Ministry sent a letter to the Railway Ministry seeking feeding spaces at railway stations.
READ: Kudos to this mom who pumps breast milk while running a marathon
It is crucial that we eradicate the stigma attached with “breastfeeding in public”. Kudos to the Western Railway for talking such an exemplary initative.
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