'DNA' impact: Now, women too can pee for free at public toilets

Women will not be charged for using public toilets, the BMC has decided. Like men they too can pee for free.

While there isn’t a single separate toilet for women, for men there are 2,849 toilets, according to the BMC’s solid waste management department. Now, women can use these toilets free of cost.

Also, the civic body has instructed the management and organisations operating public toilets that they should build a ramp, put up hand railings and fix western commodes for senior citizens and handicaps.

Around 30 women’s organisations have been demanding better toilet facilities for women in the city for more than a year now. They started the Right to Pee campaign demanding dedicated toilets for women. DNA had run a series of stories highlighting the plight of women.

An RTI query, filed in July, revealed that the BMC has not set up a single separate public toilet for women. Some of the women’s groups claimed that the BMC had promised to look into the matter.

Standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale said action will be taken if any organisation is found charging women for using toilets.