A First Citizen Based Survey Finds Bengaluru Toilets Inadequate For Its Growing Population, Lacking Infrastructure

BENGALUR: The findings of the first-of-its-kind citizen-led assessment of public toilets conducted by members of the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC), an NGO, in the wards of the Central, North, Southern and Western City Corporations falling under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) for 2026 found “one public toilet for every 25,000-30,000 citizens” as the population of Bengaluru exceeds 1.4 crore.

The inspection found that only 56 per cent of public toilets were adequately lit, and the report raised fears for the safety of women using public toilets. B.PAC members urged the authorities concerned to build as many as 1,000 public toilets and pointed out the public sanitation infrastructure in Bengaluru that is not keeping pace with the growing population.

The audit, conducted by B.PAC’s Civic Leadership Incubation Program (CLIP) and student volunteers, assessed 142 public toilets within the limits of Central, Northern, Southern and Western City Corporations of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The inspection report stated that 37 toilets were non-functional and only 6 public toilets were “very clean”.

It was found that 58 percent of public toilets had a persistent bad odor, only 9 toilets had ramps, and approximately 94 percent of toilets were inaccessible for people with disabilities. According to the inspection report, while approximately 40 percent of public toilets had water, “none of the toilets had soap dispensers or trash cans.”

“Only 15 percent of caregivers in public restrooms surveyed were women,” the report said, adding that “contractor information and user fees are largely missing, limiting public accountability.”

Manjunath K., coordinator of B.PAC Civic Leadership Incubation Program (CLIP), stated that this will serve as a roadmap for the State Government, non-governmental organizations and citizens to work together to create cleaner, safer and equitable access to sanitation for all.

It said the closure of the toilets was due to inadequate maintenance, inadequate monitoring and poor contract management, including inadequate replacement of essential supplies such as soap dispensers and waste bins. The report was submitted to the Chief Executive Officer of Solid Waste Management Karegowda for action.