Hyderabad: Public toilets are turning out to be a waste of space because of the poor maintenance, say citizens of Telangana. Although the number of public toilets has increased in the city, their use has been limited. Srinivas Rao, the deputy commissioner of Khairatabad, admitted, “We have five toilets in our circle, however, it is disappointing that they are not being used. We are renovating the toilets as they have not been maintained for long. We plan to hire a superintendent who can ensure that the surrounding areas are kept clean and that there is 24/7 power connection and water supply.”
Most citizens complain about the unbearable stench, erratic water and power supply. Meenakshi Sinha, a techie from Secunderabad, says, “Most public toilets do not have even lights switched on at night which is why people think that they are not functioning. The same goes for water. There needs to be round the clock maintenance for these washrooms which is the only way more people will start using them.”
However, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporations’ officers say that even the toilets that are functioning are not used by the public in the right way. “Citizens should clean up after themselves and also take care to not waste water. Many a time we have had cleaners telling us that people have left the taps running. Although the pay-and-use method was implemented to ensure that people are more careful, it seems to have made no difference,” rues sanitation officer Ravi Kiran.
While GHMC plans to open She toilets and Smart toilets across the city, its officials say citizens must maintain cleanliness. “We hope that as new toilets are opened and the existing ones are upgraded, people begin using them responsibly. The GHMC commissioner has recently instructed all officials to keep public toilets in their jurisdiction neat to discourage open defecation,” says Srinivas Rao.
