The Times of India      22.11.2013

PMC to construct 35 public urinals in Patna

PATNA: Men peeing in public are a common sight on the city streets. But are they really to blame? Where is the nearest public toilet?

While the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) authorities appear to look the other way, Patna residents rue their lot. The crowded Station Road, Boring Road, Hathwa Market, Kankerbagh, Mauryalok Complex, Raja Bazaar, Nala Road, Kadamkuan, Khaitan Market... Locality after locality is without a loo.

Locals complain about foul smell emanating from the surrounding areas. "There are few toilets in the vicinity, but most of them are not at all maintained," complains Hemant Mahesh, a shopkeeper on Station Road.

Meghna Kumari, a student, said, "The worst sufferers are women, but the civic body is not taking the problem seriously."

Even the PMC's Empowered Standing Committee keeps asking at its meetings why the municipal administration was sitting on the proposals for construction of toilets. When TOI queried about the number of public toilets in the city, PMC commissioner Kuldip Narayan retorted, "Numbers! Do you think the existing toilets are in good enough condition for being used?" He, however, admitted the city did not have too many toilets and they were in such a pathetic condition that one could not use them.

As per Section 255 'public latrines and urinals' of Bihar Municipal Act 2007, the municipality shall, by itself or through any other agency, provide and maintain at convenient places a sufficient number of public latrines and urinals for use by the public and such public latrines and urinals may be so constructed as to provide separate compartments for each sex.

According to sources, the total number of public toilets in Delhi is around 1,800 while Mumbai has over 1,100 public urinals. But Patna, having a population of 16.83 lakh (census 2011) has less than 100 public urinals. "Patna with its present population needs at least 500 public toilets but the city has only 90 and odd public toilets, including general, deluxe and Sulabh International toilets," said a senior PMC official.

The city has 32 deluxe public toilets constructed and maintained by Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited and 58 general ones constructed and maintained by PMC. While 25 of the PMC's public urinals are under New Capital circle, only six are under Kankerbagh circle, 19 under Bankipore circle and eight under Patna City circle. Sulabh International has few public urinals near Gandhi Maidan.

Narayan said, "We have a proposal to construct 30 to 35 more public urinals across the city. We are also planning to rope Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited in this project."

The question remains: whether the additional 35 urinal would be enough for a city as big as Patna.