Jaipur: Public toilets at two of Jaipur’s busiest traffic junctions have become a major inconvenience for commuters, with one facility remaining locked for months and another rendered unusable due to poor hygiene. As authorities and a private contractor trade responsibility, thousands of daily commuters are left without access to a basic civic amenity.
Public toilet at Rambagh in bad condition – broken urinals, and no grills or wall on the backside of the public toilets
The ‘Smart Public Toilet’ at Rambagh Circle has remained shut for nearly four months. Its doors are locked, and the drinking water cooler is also non-functional.A security guard posted at the site said, “For the last four months, my only job has been telling people that the toilet is closed. I don’t know what kind of maintenance has been going on for so long. The water cooler is not working, the toilet remains locked, and nobody seems concerned that this is a busy area where people may need the facility at any time.”
Public toilet at Narain Singh Circle in bad condition – locked and very unhygenic condition of the public toilets
Vishakha, who was waiting for a bus, said the closure disproportionately affects women. “Men can somehow manage, but women cannot. This is a bus stop, and we sometimes have to wait here for 15 to 20 minutes. When the public toilet is locked, we are left with no option,” she said.The situation at Narayan Singh Circle is equally grim. Overflowing garbage, foul smell and poor sanitation have made the toilet virtually unusable.According to officials, Jaipur Municipal Corporation awarded a Rs 10-crore, three-year contract to a private firm two years ago to operate and maintain public toilets through advertisement revenue. However, the company reportedly failed to generate sufficient revenue and maintenance suffered.Revenue Officer Manoj Verma said, “We have issued a notice to the company over its failure to maintain the facility. The contract expires this year, after which a fresh tender will be floated.”For commuters, especially women, children and the elderly, the absence of clean, functional public toilets continues to be an everyday ordeal.
JDA’s Public toilet at Rambagh in bad condition
