Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) exposing the dire shortage and deplorable condition of public toilets in the city. Filed by Advocate Sundeep Badana, the PIL draws attention to the failure of authorities to ensure adequate sanitation facilities despite multiple promises and schemes under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Notably, a March 6 report titled “Ek Katha Toilets Ki: Is ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ Locked in Nagpur?” brought the issue into the spotlight.
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Monday 31March 2025
Severe shortage, poor maintenance
The PIL raises concerns over both the scarcity of public toilets and the unhygienic conditions of existing ones due to poor maintenance by contractors and inadequate oversight by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The respondents named in the case include:
• Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) – Solid Waste Management Department & Garden Department
• Urban Development Department, Maharashtra Government
• Swachh Maharashtra Mission Directorate
Data obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveals that Nagpur, with a population of approximately 24 lakh (as per the 2011 Census), has only 66 public toilets, of which just 63 are functional. Given the city’s current estimated population, this ratio is grossly inadequate, forcing many residents to resort to open defecation.
The PIL also highlights that despite a similar case being filed in 2012, no concrete action has been taken by the authorities. While the Swachh Maharashtra Mission (Urban) 2.0 was launched in 2021 to improve sanitation infrastructure and eliminate open defecation, Nagpur’s administration has failed to implement necessary measures.
Shockingly, within the municipal limits, only 60 public toilets exist, and merely 46 toilets serve the city’s 182 gardens. Moreover, in the last 15 years, despite rapid population growth, there has been no significant increase in the number of public toilets.
Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi acknowledged the gravity of the issue and directed that the General Manager of Central Railway, the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA), the Nagpur Improvement Trust, and the Municipal Commissioner be added as respondents. Notices have now been issued to all eight respondents.
With the issue now before the High Court, all eyes are on the authorities to see if they will finally take corrective action or if Nagpur’s public sanitation crisis will continue to worsen.
