General public to be allowed to use toilets in hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has in a status report submitted to the High Court put forth several measures being undertaken to help people access toilets in the city. These measures include allowing the toilets in 172 ‘Indira Canteen’, which was meant only for the staff, for public use.

The city civic body has also proposed permitting the general public to use toilets situated in public restaurants and hotels. The Special Commissioner (Health) and Chief Health Officer (Health) have been directed to take necessary steps and pass necessary orders/circulars in this regard.

The BBMP will also be inviting tenders for construction of 100 toilets exclusively for women, called ‘SHE’ toilets. Alternatively, the BBMP has also proposed to construct such toilets on its own and allotted a budget of Rs 25.50 crore for it in the 2024-25 Budget.

The status report was filed by the Chief Engineer, Solid Waste Management, BBMP following a HC direction in a public interest litigation. The BBMP constituted a committee for construction and maintenance of public toilets for general public and women under the civic body’s limits that includes the Chief Commissioner, Special Commissioner and all zonal Commissioners.

The status report reveals several measures including installation of new E-toilets, maintenance of the 229 existing E-toilets and identification of place for construction of toilets in places where there are large floating populations.

The BBMP is also providing separate toilet blocks for transgenders and differently abled persons in the new toilets being constructed. Recording the submission on Wednesday, the division bench headed by the Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale adjourned the hearing of the PIL.