Lack of washrooms and toilets in small towns and on roads, particularly in the hilly regions, is one of the disadvantages of long-distance travel in our country.

When an inter-State bus halts at a small eatery off the highway and you look for a toilet, you either don’t find one or when you do, chances are it is so filthy that you would rather not use it. Even on prominent roads, very few petrol pumps have a toilet and even if they do, there is no guarantee that the taps have running water. And if you are travelling by a luxury bus, the driver may stop at a good restaurant but if you don’t intend to eat there, the owner makes a fuss if you want to use the toilet.

Travelling recently through China’s most backward of provinces, the mountainous Guizhou, was, however, a different story. Sanitation services here are on a different level. Travellers don’t have to await their turn to use the washrooms for, in close proximity to every service station on the roadways, are several clean, well-maintained toilets.

That’s not all, travellers have several other facilities as well. For instance, if you are tired of sitting in one posture, there is enough room to stretch your legs at a lounge with comfortable sofas to sink into. Apart from an opportunity to relax, each of these stations sports small eating places offering coffee, tea and snacks before the next leg of the journey.

Comfort at a new level

While on the way from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, to Pingtang County, one of the service stations even had a ‘maternal infantile room’ with cartoon pictures on the walls for children, a crib for a baby and a comfortable sofa for lactating mothers. Some of the service stations come with spaces where you can stretch your muscles playing outdoor games.

The Yao Nationality service station in Li Bo County has a small library. It is believed that at one time the Yao ethnic community used to make a living from the art of tie and dye. They acquired natural dye, which was blue-grey in colour, from a tree said to be over 150 years old. It is believed the service station came up first and the town developed around it. At this unique service station, you can sip different brands of tea and coffee and browse through books.

Such facilities are provided not only on the highways. At the cascading Huangguoshu waterfalls in Anshun and other tourist spots, there are toilets, and benches to relax in the open. The “cleanliness team”, attired in traditional dress, is ever ready to sweep away the dry leaves falling from the trees. Not a speck of garbage in the form of wrappers, polythene bags or fruit peals is allowed to litter the areas.

Wooden bins are strategically placed to ensure that refuse is not carelessly disposed.

All this is in sharp contrast to the petrol stations on our highways. Though you may find a gift shop, no thought is ever given to the convenience of long-distance travellers. Our only blessing is the Sulabh toilets which are relatively clean and well-maintained and have been recently constructed at select bus stops, tourist spots and pilgrimage centres. But these are grossly inadequate.

We need to seriously take the cue from the Guizhou province and build sheltered places that provide travellers some basic comfort and amenities. I am told that not long ago, Guizhou province was known for its bumpy roads and lack of connectivity. But today, the roads are well-maintained with comfort stations along the way. If they can do it, why can’t we?

The writer is a senior journalist based in Delhi

Related Topics