The city airport has got its most exciting upgrade in many years. Not a new international airline connecting Calcutta with Europe directly, but a new washroom.

It looks different and, more importantly, smells different, at least after the first two days.

The airport’s stinking and perpetually wet washrooms are its most talked about topics among passengers since the present terminal building became functional in 2011.

Reluctant cleaners who are backed by unions and a flawed design are the two main reasons for the stink the city’s airport has got because of the washrooms.

The authorities said they are trying to address both problems. They are confident about solving the second problem but not so sure about the first: unions.

The washroom in thecheck-in area at the departure level has been given a new look, said officials.

“We are very concerned about the passenger facilities and that is why the washrooms are being renovated. The renovation is being done in phases. Because it is a functional airport, we cannot close several washrooms at the same time,” Pravat Ranjan Beuria, the director of the Calcutta airport, said on Friday.

The newly renovated washroom was opened on August 15.

There are 23 blocks of washrooms, each with three units for men, women and specially-abled passengers.

“The renovation of all washroom blocks will be completed by June 2025,” said an airportofficial. He said four newblocks will also be constructed in the arrival area.

The new washroom looks brighter with more lights, new fittings and décor. One important change was the colour of the floor. The old washrooms have deep grey floors which give a dull, dark and dirty look to the facilities.

The floor colour has been changed to a lighter shade. “The light colour of the floor is adding to the brightness of the washroom,” said the official.

The washrooms, he said, have not undergone any renovation since the terminal building became operational in 2011.

“Apart from design flaws, the pipes were clogged and damaged. This was one reason why many passengers complained about the stink,” said an official. The pipes are being replaced with new ones.

However, one problem that passengers complain about is the size of some of the washrooms, particularly those in the security hold area where passengers spend most of the time before boarding.

“The size of the washrooms cannot be increased. But, we are trying to give them a brighter, cleaner look, without the stink,” said the official.

Another challenge faced by the authorities to keep the washrooms clean is the work culture.

Metro has written on several occasions that cleaners are not found in the washrooms, even when they are dirty. The authorities had earlier tried to take action against the reluctant workers but they held demonstrations and union leaders put pressure on the authorities to take them back.

The airport has a new agency for cleaning but the workers remain the same. “The union had put pressure on the new agency to retain the cleaners,” said an airport source.

On Friday afternoon, apassenger boarding an international flight called the airport manager’s office and complained about a dirty washroom in the departure area.