One Toilet for 86 People: Mumbai Faces Severe Public Sanitation Crisis
Mumbai, 22nd May 2025: A recent report by Praja Foundation has highlighted Mumbai’s alarming public sanitation gap, revealing that a single community toilet is used by 86 men and 81 women, far exceeding the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan norms of one toilet per 35 men and 25 women.
With 60% of the city’s population living in slums, access to clean and adequate toilet facilities remains a daily challenge. Community toilets often remain the only option but are overcrowded, poorly maintained, and in many cases, in a dilapidated or unsafe condition, raising the risk of accidents.
While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken steps to address the issue, progress has been sluggish. Under the Lot 11 initiative, the BMC pledged to build 22,000 new toilets, most of which have been completed. However, the Lot 12 phase, which aims to add 14,166 more toilets, is facing delays due to contractor inaction and administrative hurdles.
Lot 12 includes plans to reconstruct one-storey MHADA toilets into two-storey structures, and build 559 new toilets in the first phase. But on-ground implementation remains inconsistent.
Praja Foundation’s findings, obtained via RTI, underline the urgent need for faster construction and better maintenance of public and community toilets. Experts say that failing to meet sanitation norms not only compromises hygiene but also impacts public health and dignity, particularly for women and children in slum areas.
The report has renewed calls for the BMC to streamline administrative processes and hold contractors accountable to speed up toilet construction across the city.
