Public toilet remains closed near RTA

Khairatabad: It is a case of so close, yet so far. A public toilet that was constructed just a month ago is out of bounds for the common man. Built under the Swachh Survekshan Mission initiative of the central government to make Hyderabad Open Defecation Free (ODF), the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had constructed a public toilet for the benefits of commuters but the toilet has been closed.  

GHMC medical officer Bhargav said, “Due to the underground drainage connection problem we have closed the public toilet. We are trying to sort out this problem. It may take five to six days.”  Most citizens complain about the unbearable stench near toilets and unused public toilets. Manish, a commuter from Panjagutta says, most of the commuters pass through this area daily. Due to the closure of the public toilets, people were relieving themselves openly which was causing inconvenience to the commuters.

Though several awareness programmes are being conducted at the circle and zonal levels for curbing open defecation, people are not using toilets due to the unavailability of public toilets. Despite of having poor sanitation, Hyderabad was declared ODF city in January 2018.

BY Nikhitha Mendu