Locked loos in Mumbai leave women at a loose end

Imagine you’re visiting a public place, for example the Nair hospital OPD, and have to wait for hours. You are thirsty and hence, have been drinking water. And after that? No, you won’t be going to the toilet but will be searching for one.

Thousands of women, especially girls visiting BYL Nair hospital’s college building have to go through this every day — frantically searching for a toilet, asking anyone they come across where they can find one. The five-floor building has a learning disability clinic, and pathology and audiology departments. Each floor has one toilet for women, but all are locked.

“Whenever I come to see the doctor with my 15-year-old daughter, who has a learning disability, the day becomes a nightmare for both of us. I have complained to senior doctors many times, but nothing has happened so far,” said a woman who didn’t wish to be named. She contracted urinary tract infection twice in six months because of having to wait a long time to relieve herself during these regular hospital visits. 

After many complaints, recently, authorities decided to open one toilet for patients and relatives. But that’s insufficient. A staffer said, “We can’t allow thousands to use the toilets, for hygiene reasons. The BMC should make some separate arrangement for patients and relatives.”

There’s another nine-floor building in the hospital with wards, OTs, OPDs… and smelly staircases. Why? Because visitors have just one facility on the ground floor. So, many use staircases to attend nature’s call. There are many city organisations where toilets are kept locked by the employees to keep them clean. People visiting these places use any secluded area they can find on the premises to relieve themselves. 

Social worker Kajol Basu, who has to travel a lot, said, “Mumbai lacks proper toilet facilities for women. You can’t dare to use station loos; they stink even from a distance. Even the sulabh shauchalay at Chembur is so dirty that women prefer to wait for another half an hour to reach a mall that will have cleaner toilets, no matter how urgent their need.”

“I prefer not to drink water to save myself from such horror. And if I do drink, I try to wait as much as I can. I don’t want to use filthy loos as I don’t want any infection,” Basu added.

The Thane civil court has another story to tell. The court campus, which sees over 5,000 people every day, including 300-400 women (accused, relatives) lacks toilets for women. There is one in women’s common room, but only employees use it. Advocate Darmyan Singh said, “Accused women and their relatives face severe problems due to lack of toilets for them.”