Sanitation spaces that are flush with problems

Lack of periodic maintenance, unsuitable locations and vandalism have rendered public toilets in Chennai unfit for use.

There are 7,743 community and pre-fabricated toilets across the city. In some locations, these toilets are kept spic and span. There are also a disturbing number of these toilets that betray signs of neglect and poor maintenance.

One witnesses this contrast at the Marina beach. A brick-and-mortar community toilet there, maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation, is quite clean and is used by a number of beachgoers. However, six pre-fabricated toilets meant for women at two locations on the beach are in disrepair, their doors cracked and broken. These toilets are also characterized by filthy interiors, a lack of water and a foul odour.

Despite the beach being crowded with visitors, not one person goes anywhere near these toilets. The pre-fabricated men’s urinals are also in a similar state of disrepair.

Kaushik N. Sharma, an advocate, said that if the problem of open defecation in the city had to end, the focus should be on maintenance of public toilets. Awareness among people about the necessity of keeping these toilets clean should be created. Adding new toilets without doing this, would not help, he added.

“In 2014, we had filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal against open defecation near the railway tracks at Vyasarpadi and Old Washermanpet. An RTI revealed to us that for 1.55 lakh persons, there were only 15 public toilets,” he said.

“During a joint inspection by the Corporation and the Railways, of the 54 seats or individual latrines near these railway tracks, only 12 were found to be operational. While the Corporation promised to restore the units and build additional toilets, better maintenance in the first place would have helped prevent open defecation there,” he pointed out.

In places like Anna Nagar and Kilpauk, residents noted that public toilets were inadequate. Even the e-toilets were not located in places where people congregated. For instance, e-toilets had been placed in a lane along School Road, Anna Nagar West, they pointed out.

Residents said the facilities were hardly used as they are fixed in residential localities which did not attract much of a floating population. Similarly, those in Thirumangalam were unusable.

“These toilets must be placed near bus terminuses or along arterial roads where there is a need for them. Access to these toilets and cleanliness there are of utmost significance,” said N. Mythili, a resident.

(With reporting by S. Poorvaja, Zubeda Hamid and K. Lakshmi)