'No clean toilets, yet want Olympics?' Delhi HC slams civic bodies for filthy public loos

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the city’s municipal bodies for their failure to maintain public toilets, calling the situation “hurting and unfortunate” and accusing civic agencies of “complete apathy and insensitivity”, TOI has reported.

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela made the observations while hearing a PIL filed by Jan Sewa Welfare Society. The NGO sought directions for the provision of clean, functional public toilets equipped with basic amenities like water and electricity across Delhi.

“We are staking claim to host the Olympics, and we don't even have clean public toilets in the city,” the bench said, expressing deep concern over the poor state of sanitation infrastructure.


The court noted that municipal agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), had displayed a “complete apathy, insensitivity and even dereliction of duty” in maintaining public conveniences.

“These agencies need not be reminded repeatedly that under law it is their primary responsibility to provide adequate public conveniences,” the bench said.

Following earlier court directions, the civic bodies had submitted status reports outlining their steps on the issue. However, the petitioner’s counsel presented recent images and reports indicating that the situation remained largely unchanged.

“After all, the municipal bodies and development agencies are created by the legislature for the benefit of the general populace and they function on public money. It is hurting and unfortunate to note the conditions of toilets,” the bench said.

The judges questioned whether officials responsible for sanitation ever used the facilities themselves. “If they were forced to use them, these conveniences would be 'spanking clean' in no time,” they remarked.

Highlighting the disproportionate impact on women, the bench added, “Given such a state of public utilities available in the city, the problems being faced by women get compounded for obvious reasons.”

The court, as per TOI report, has now directed the MCD, NDMC and DDA to escalate the matter to the “highest level” and come up with comprehensive, expert-based plans for public toilet maintenance in their respective areas.

These plans must include actionable recommendations and ensure that the public utilities remain functional at all times.

(With inputs from TOI)