Restaurant loos now open to public, does SDMC's move come as a relief?

Come the month of May and you won't have to go looking for public washrooms to relieve yourself as you can just walk into the nearest restaurant and use their hygienic and well-equipped toilets.

In an effective initiative taken by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), 3,500 toilets have been added to the existing number of toilets for public use in South Delhi and restaurants as well as hotels have been opened up to the public to answer nature's call.

In south Delhi, less than 25 per cent toilets were allotted for women. So this move comes as a big relief to women. Residents have also appreciated the move. However, many restaurants have expressed their apprehensiveness. Implementation is also a matter of debate as the civic body has stressed that the initiative will be implemented in principal on ground.

EXPERT SPEAK

The initiative by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation is indeed a good one. Something like this was always required for the convenience of the public. There are times when women face difficulty when they are outside and have to use the washroom. We, Sulabh International, are a social service non-government organisation and cannot do much without a go-ahead from the Delhi Government. The government should come forward and take this initiative to work in collaboration with us and help us build more toilets in the city.
— Awadhesh Kumar, Honorary administration, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation

RESIDENTS SPEAK

Solid waste management is one of the basic essential services provided by MCD to keep Delhi clean. However, it is among the most poorly rendered services in the basket. Lack of public toilets not only create inconvenience but also lead to unclean environment. In India, this subject has been given a formal flip and push through the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA). This initiative by the government is a welcoming step in making Bharat a Swachh Bharat.
— Kaveri Kala, Research scholar, IIT Delhi

It is always a problem to go to the market with an infant and worry about changing the diaper or using the public washroom. Civic infrastructure in this city is in a bad condition. There are either no washrooms, or the ones that are provided are too bad to use. These places are breeding grounds of bacteria and with a baby I would rather avoid it. I am happy that something like this is being implemented. Hope they implement this in other parts of the city too.
— Sonal Batra, mother of a one-year-old child

SDMC has taken a good initiative by announcing free usage of washrooms in hotels and restaurants. I have been stuck a lot of times in situations wherein I wanted to use a washroom but there was none available around. It is always embarrassing to ask restaurants to open their gates only to use washrooms. Since restaurants have the basic infrastructure in place and are hygienic, it is definitely a welcome step. This should take place in other parts of the city too"
— Akanksha Grover, Working professional

It is a good initiative by the civic body. It was a necessity that had to be taken care of and was highly needed. Other areas should take this initiative too. There are a lot of times when I go out with my female friends and we search for washrooms. The public toilets stink and are unhygienic. Most restaurants/hotels do not allow people, other than customers, to use their toilets. Though it is a dire need to improve the civic infrastructure, this is good until the government does something concrete about public toilets.
— Gaurav Guleria, Musician

The announcement comes as a relief especially for women as toilets in hotels are clean. For kids, it makes travel easier as you need hygienic washrooms almost every few kilometres. My mum always had "where to urinate" problem as she just could not use public toilets. Because of the unavailability of toilets in the city, she avoided being out for a long time. This move may seem like a small move but it definitely will have a big impact. It will make life easy while on roads.
— Khushboo Jain, Wellness expert

An applause-worthy initiative. Women actually need cleaner washrooms much more than we men do. This move is all about meeting their basic physical and safety needs. And not just in urban centres like Delhi, but the city requires to better sanitary facilities. Restaurants supporting this move is another great backup. It seems to be a very sincere extension of the PM's Swacchh Bharat Abhiyan.
— Ankur Saxena, Advertising professional