BHOPAL: Public toilets are built for being used by both men and women but there are very few toilets where a woman feels comfortable. Most of the women complain that they either don’t feel safe due to maximum occupancy by men or avoid using the toilets due to poor hygiene. The public toilet at Malviya Nagar near Patrakar Bhawan is a clean toilet but women avoid going there as they don’t feel comfortable to use the toilet with undergarments hanging around.
Shreya Sahu, a shopper visiting New Market said, “The toilet at the subway cannot be used as it is so dirty that you cannot even breathe standing in front of it. This one at Patrakar Bhavan is clean but it is some sort of adda where men keep standing all the time. If you go inside, you will see undergarments hanged for drying. It feels very awkward to use it, with men standing there all the time and undergarments hanging around.”
Archana Singh, student, said, “Using a public toilet is a hard task because we have to think before going to one. Once decided, we then have to search for a clean and usable toilet. Many a times we don’t go to public toilets because men keep standing there for no reason. In such situations, I prefer not using any.”
Akansha Jain, teacher, said, “Whenever it comes to use public toilets, we tend to avoid them as much as possible because they are so unhygienic. I personally ask my students to avoid using public toilets as much as possible because they are likely to get infection after using these dirty toilets. Also, men standing and chatting is a common thing in Sulabh Sauchayalas. Not just the one at Malviya Nagar, if you see the one at subway, it is an auto stand and auto drivers keep standing in front of the toilet all the time.”
