Union Railways Ministry has come up with a decision to help women breastfeed their babies while travelling on trains by providing private space at 100 waiting rooms of railway stations across India.
Also Read: Mother refuses to breastfeed "alien" baby born in Bihar, India [VIDEO]
The decision was taken over several complaints filed with Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi. She had later approached Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu.
Also Read: Women trying to conceive should maintain oral hygiene, here's why!
"When women passengers wait on stations for long hours, they cannot breastfeed their baby. They have no facilities to change their clothes as well. And this is due to lack of infrastructure at railway stations," Maneka wrote in her letter to Prabhu, according to the Times of India.
"Instructions have been issued to all zonal railways on June 8 to provide a segregated area within the waiting hall at important stations for feeding babies by lactating mothers. This corner is provided with a small table and a chair with appropriate partition/screen around it. As of date, more than 100 waiting halls have been provided with this facility," the railway board later informed the WCD ministry.
"Breastfeeding is extremely important for the health of a child. We stand for clean, safe and exclusive areas in public places where women can breastfeed their children peacefully. I hope this facility will be extended to all railway stations," Maneka replied to the action taken by the railway board.
