Have you ever wanted to visit the washroom badly, but was disappointed at not finding one that could be accessed quickly? Chances are that you may not be in a similar situation again, in Chennai — that is, if you enlist the support of Google.
All you need to do is open Google Maps, search for public toilets and the closest ones will be listed along with the address, distance from your location, and opening and closing hours.
Greater Chennai Corporation has integrated the locations of 6,701 public toilets in 853 areas within its limits, with Google Maps, and the public can access it through their smart phones or computers. The public can also rate the toilets and post reviews about the cleanliness and maintenance.
The initiative has been launched in association with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Central government’s Swachh Bharat Mission and Google. Called The Loo Review Campaign, it aims at providing sanitation coverage through public toilet facilities across cities in India for achieving Open Defecation Free status.
‘Maintenance holds the key’
While welcoming the civic body’s move, C.R. Balaji, a civic activist says the initiative will be successful only if the public toilets are maintained properly.
“Locating and accessing the public toilets alone are not enough. They must be fit for public use. Most toilets in Chennai are badly-maintained and some of them remain closed, which defeats the purpose of having them. The civic body should monitor the ratings and reviews, and take corrective action” he says.
In 2018, Dhaagam Foundation audited more than 600 public toilets across the 15 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation and also conducted a survey with nearly 1,300 women.
“We found that a majority of public toilets did not have basic amenities like a mug and buckets and waste bins. We found broken taps and damaged doors and latches. Some toilets were littered with faeces, sanitary napkins and even alcohol bottles. How can the public use the toilets in this condition?” asks Govind Murugan, convenor of the Foundation. He said that the government should look at establishing more fully-automated e-toilets that are self-cleaning. They have inbuilt sensors and don’t require much human intervention. Besides, people should realise that public facilities are their responsibility too and not just the government’s, he adds.
