Pune’s Mhatre Bridge Public Toilet Still Locked After 6 Months, Residents Demand Action |
Despite being constructed six months ago, the public toilet near Mhatre Bridge in Pune remains closed, causing inconvenience to citizens, particularly women. The issue has been highlighted by the residents, yet no action has been taken to make the facility operational.
Prashant Velankar, an activist, wrote a letter to the Warje-Karvenagar regional office, urging the authorities to open the toilet within the next eight to ten days.
Residents speak up
“Several women have complained about the lack of public sanitation facilities in the area. If the issue is not resolved promptly, the women’s committee in our area will stage a protest by blocking the Mhatre Bridge road. They have spent public money, and now they are not letting the public use it. They spent around Rs 50 lakh, but still, people are struggling to use a safe, clean toilet,” Velankar stated.
The fruit vendor, Kavitatai, said, “This toilet is made for the public, and it should be used. What is the point of spending money to construct these with people’s money and not letting them use them?”
The residents have given the authorities a fifteen-day ultimatum, failing which they plan to stage a peaceful protest to demand their basic rights.
Priya Bapat (32), a resident of Sinhagad Road, said, “The conditions of public toilets in Pune are the worst, and women are at risk of getting UTI infections. This toilet was constructed six months ago, and still, it’s not operational. During traffic, we have to wait to answer nature’s call , which increases health risks, and this toilet should be opened soon.”
PMC reacts
Ganesh Khirid, PMC’s sanitary inspector, regional ward office Karve Nagar-Warje, said, “We will open the toilet, but we haven’t got the keys yet as some work is still pending. The drainage and water work is not completed yet. As soon as the work gets completed, we will open it. It’s made for public use, so why would we keep it locked? We have informed the concerned department, and they have assured us that it will be completed soon and made available for public use.”
