Hyderabad: Public toilets in the city remain a matter of concern in places like Mushreerabad, Uppal and Secunderabad, where many facilities are unhygienic and poorly maintained. Despite being an essential public amenity, these toilets often remain neglected. Even as World Toilet Day is observed on November 19, Dr Magesh, who works in a private hospital asked, “Why would the public use those toilets when they are in such poor condition? Would any politician or government official ever use them? They have become nothing more than a waste of space. Using unhygienic toilets can lead to various diseases and pose significant health risks.”
“Governments keep blaming each other for failing to address such basic needs, but no real progress is made,” said Varun Kumar S., a software engineer.
In response to cleanliness and maintenance concerns, a GHMC official confirmed that the city will transition to pay-and-use toilets.
“Most of the new toilets we will build will be pay-and-use. Unless someone pays, the toilets cannot be properly maintained. It requires staff, so a pay-and-use model is more sustainable.”
The GHMC sanitation department said that prefabricated toilets, especially segregated ones, are no longer effective.
“These toilets are not working well, and we are working on new designs,” said an official who wished not to be named.
“We have a plan to implement them in the coming months. The goal is to address the city’s growing need for clean public toilets,” he said.
Meanwhile, the civic body is contemplating public toilets at 19 different places with 19 different designs in the coming month.
