Seven months later, still no sanitary pads vending machine at new airport

However, an authoritative from Pune Airport said that the aged terminal, which presently handles lone 20 percent of the airport’s operations, has astir 18 to 20 sanitary napkins vending and dispensing machines. The caller terminal, connected the different hand, is expected to person these facilities disposable successful the coming days.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) connected May 6, 2024, inviting work providers for the cognition and attraction of sanitary pad vending machines and an incinerator astatine Pune Airport. The inaugural aims to instal 22 vending machines (19 operational, 3 successful reserve) and guarantee escaped sanitary pad availability for passengers. However, arsenic of now, passengers proceed to look issues owed to the deficiency of functional machines, highlighting a spread betwixt argumentation and on-ground implementation.

Women passengers and cleaning unit person expressed disappointment implicit the deficiency of hygiene facilities, wellness provisions, and the unavailability of basal needs for women astatine the airport’s caller terminal.

A cleaning unit subordinate astatine Pune airport, erstwhile asked astir the availability of sanitary pads successful the caller terminal, said determination are presently nary pads disposable wrong the terminal. “There were machines installed astatine the aged terminal, but women often kick astir the non-functioning vending machines determination arsenic well,” she said.

Raveena Katkar, who landed astatine Pune airdrome astatine 4.30 am, needed a sanitary napkin unexpectedly. She told The Indian Express that she searched for pads successful bathrooms connected the crushed level and adjacent enquired to the cleaning unit determination but didn’t find any. “Since I americium not from Pune, I had to question by cab for implicit 4 to 5 hours to scope home, and nary pharmacy was unfastened that aboriginal successful the morning,” she said.

Swananda Dhananjay Tatke, a 62-year-old pistillate travelling from Pune to Chennai connected January 30 said that portion she whitethorn not request sanitary pads astatine this age, the lack of the vending machines is noticed by each women.

The Emergency Medical Room (EMR), which was inaugurated successful August past twelvemonth to heighten rider information and is operated 24/7 by Ruby Hall Clinic, was expected to supply indispensable aesculapian assistance. However, women passengers reported that erstwhile they approached the EMR, they were informed that sanitary napkins were unavailable.

Alice Barwa said that portion she was travelling from Pune to Raipur a fewer times back, she realised that she got her periods and erstwhile checked the washroom adjacent Zone 1 bathroom, determination was nary Sanitary Pad Dispenser. She said that since she recovered nary pharmacy successful the airport, she could not bargain a packet either.

“I asked astir it from the workers, who said that presently determination is nary dispenser dissimilar the washrooms successful the aged terminal. She said that if I urgently request one, they tin nonstop idiosyncratic extracurricular to get a pad. I asked if they had 1 successful their unit country but they didn’t. I asked unit adjacent the boarding check-in if pads are disposable successful the Emergency Medical country (EMR) but they said no. Only a doc would beryllium disposable if I request it successful lawsuit of an exigency specified arsenic pain,” Barwa added.

Pune Airport manager Santosh Dhoke said that the aged terminal already has this service, and the process for the caller terminal is underway. “Soon, each ladies toilet volition person a vending machine. Nearly 20 vending and dispensing machines volition beryllium disposable successful the coming days.”

When asked astir the aesculapian store astatine the airdrome successful narration to the napkins, helium explained that if determination are nary customers, there’s nary crushed to unfastened the pharmacy. Operating it requires some fiscal resources and staff. “The bare minimum needed for passengers is already disposable astatine the airport,” helium said.