Bengaluru public toilet audit: 1 in 4 defunct, basic amenities missing

The report found that 37 of the 142 public toilets surveyed, or 26 per cent, were defunct. Only six toilets (4.2 per cent) were rated “very clean”, while 58 per cent had a persistent foul odour. Adequate lighting was available in just 56 per cent of the facilities, raising safety concerns, particularly for women.

The audit also highlighted significant gaps in accessibility and maintenance. Only nine of the surveyed toilets had ramps, leaving nearly 94 per cent inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Water was available in only around 40 per cent of functional toilets, while none of the facilities had soap dispensers or dustbins. Contractor details and user charges were absent at most locations, limiting transparency and accountability, the report noted.

B.PAC estimates that Bengaluru, with a population of over 1.4 crore, has only 800–900 public toilets, including 479 officially listed under the GBA. According to the organisation, this translates to roughly one public toilet for every 25,000 to 30,000 residents.

30-day repair drive

Calling for systemic reforms, the report recommends a 30-day drive to repair all non-functional toilets, the creation of a central public toilet management cell under the GBA, and a shift from construction-focused contracts to long-term operation and maintenance agreements with stricter performance monitoring.

The report also recommends ensuring uninterrupted water supply, proper lighting, soap dispensers, and dustbins in every facility, retrofitting existing toilets to make them accessible to persons with disabilities, and improving transparency by prominently displaying contractor and caretaker information.

‘1,000 more public toilets needed’

B.PAC has further urged the Karnataka government and the GBA to construct more than 1,000 additional public toilets through public-private partnerships, prioritising high-footfall locations such as bus terminals, metro stations, markets, parks, tourist attractions, and construction sites.

“Public toilets are not a luxury. They are indispensable civic infrastructure that protects public health, ensures women’s safety, upholds human dignity and defines the quality of urban life,” said Revathi Ashok, Chief Executive Officer of B.PAC.

Manjunath, the B.CLIP coordinator who led the audit, said the findings could serve as a roadmap for improving public sanitation through coordinated action by the government, civil society organisations, and citizens.

Sara Raghav is an intern with The Indian Express, Bengaluru.