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Faced with growing criticism and commuter protests, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has withdrawn its decision to levy a usage fee for public toilets at 12 Namma Metro stations across the city. The agency has also terminated its contract with Sulabh International, the non-profit organisation previously assigned to manage these facilities.
Earlier this week, BMRCL outsourced the management of restrooms situated in the unpaid areas — those outside the ticketed zones — to Sulabh International. Under the arrangement, commuters were being charged Rs 2 for using urinals and Rs 5 for using toilets. The move, however, drew swift and widespread criticism from daily commuters and activists, who argued that imposing such fees, especially after a recent 71 per cent hike in metro fares, was unfair and burdensome.
On Monday, a group of citizens and Namma Metro users staged a demonstration outside the Dr B R Ambedkar Metro Station at Vidhana Soudha. They shouted slogans and carried placards, demanding that public toilets be recognised as essential infrastructure and not turned into profit-making ventures.
After the protest, BMRCL officials confirmed that the decision to impose toilet charges had been reversed, and the agreement with Sulabh International had been cancelled. “This was initially done to ensure high-quality maintenance, not for revenue generation. But now, BMRCL will take direct responsibility for maintaining these toilets,” said an official.
BMRCL clarified that toilets within the paid zones — inside the swipe gates — have always been free for Namma Metro commuters. The now-withdrawn charges only applied to facilities located outside the fare control area, which are also used by the general public.
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