Now, pay Re1 more for using public toilets

The next time you visit a public toilet, be ready to pay a rupee more. Owing to the city’s water woes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cut water supply to many public toilets, which in turn has prompted the increase in rates by Re1 from Rs2 for use of toilet and Rs6 for bathing.

According to the BMC, water supply to the public toilets was stopped as they found out that the toilets were illegally selling water to roadside food stalls.

“There are 986 public toilets in the city, out of which the BMC cut water supply of 263. Plans to cut supply to 601 public toilets are in progress,” said Anil Diggikar, additional municipal commissioner. The civic body has asked the public toilet operators to dig a borewell, Diggikar added.

According to the public toilet operators, they now keep the toilets functioning by purchasing water from tankers at the rate of Rs600 to Rs800, which lasts for two-three days.

“It is impossible to maintain the toilets by charging the old rates. We have decided to charge Re1 more for the use of the toilets,” said a toilet operator.

The BMC had earlier also declared that water would not be released to several public toilets in the city, which were found to be wasting water.

Action against those public toilets has already been taken, said Diggikar.