The Quiet Governance of Mobility, Dignity and Time
Written by Kritik Jain
Published on 7 February 2026
Every evening, the park near my house fills up with children playing, elderly couples walking slowly, women sitting for a few minutes of air. The public toilet stands right there in the park, freshly painted and clearly marked yet it remains locked. No one protests, they simply go back home not because the park is closed but because bodies have limits. Those living farther find a makeshift solution, a wall everyone pretends not to notice.
Public toilets are often seen as hygiene issues, rarely as enablers of mobility. Yet they shape far more than comfort, defining how freely people can move, work, learn and participate in public life. They are not just facilities but essential infrastructure for social inclusion, health and dignity.
Poorly maintained toilets risk urinary and gastrointestinal infections, while avoiding them causes chronic discomfort. Open urination spreads disease, breeds mosquitoes and creates odours and discomfort that heighten stress and erode public safety and dignity.
There is also a mental health impact that is rarely discussed. The constant calculation of Where is the nearest toilet? Will it be usable? Is it safe? creating anxiety that accumulates quietly. For many, the problem goes deeper. Poor privacy, open urinals and people waiting outside can make public toilets psychologically inaccessible, even when they exist. For people who are toilet-dependent due to medical conditions, such environments intensify feelings of shame and loss of control.
This anxiety quietly reshapes behaviour. People plan their outings around known toilets, use facilities before leaving home or avoid public spaces altogether. When the need arises outside, many are forced to rely on cafés or hotels, often spending money just to access dignity. Searching for a usable toilet silently reduces productive hours, creating time poverty. Over time, public space becomes something to manage rather than enjoy.
For women, the issue is inseparable from dignity and safety. Poor lighting, broken locks, exposed layouts and unclean facilities limit how long they can remain outside, reinforcing early returns that appear voluntary but are structurally imposed. Many restrict water intake before stepping out, anticipating inadequate facilities ahead. When forced into open spaces, the risk of harassment and assault compounds both physical vulnerability and mental stress.
For students, poor sanitation also makes the school day stressful, reducing focus and learning outcomes. Inadequate facilities push girls to miss school, especially during menstruation, increasing dropout rates.
Dirty or locked public toilets leave a lasting impression on visitors. Tourists, especially foreign, may avoid areas or carry home negative perceptions of the city, affecting its image and hospitality reputation.
For workers in informal sectors such as street vendors, delivery personnel, every day is punctuated by the anxiety of “where to go” directly affecting earnings. Access to private toilets becomes an invisible privilege, while public sanitation gaps disproportionately burdens those with the least choice.
In essence, the ability to relieve oneself safely and privately becomes a silent barrier to equality, participation and mobility.
It’s worth noting, the government has appropriate policies in place. Starting with India’s flagship programme on sanitation, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) under MoHUA and MoJS. SBM provided access to toilets for 100 million rural households, benefiting 500 million residents. SBM-Urban, nearly 6 million toilets have been constructed in urban areas. With this India achieved the status of Open Defecation Free (ODF) in 2019 itself followed by ODF+.
Another key component, Swachh Survekshan, India’s annual cleanliness survey ranking cities on parameters like citizen feedback, toilet availability and maintenance among others.
World Toilet Day, observed on 19 November, reinforces India’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6 – clean water and sanitation by 2030. Initiatives such as “Aspirational Toilets” aim to provide modern and tech-enabled toilets for better accessibility at tourist destinations, high-footfall areas and religious sites. Campaigns like “Toilet Paas Hai” and “Main Saaf Hi Achha Hoon” promote responsible use. Several states have also introduced women-centric facilities such as “Pink Toilets.”
Urban Local Bodies are responsible for ensuring that these facilities function.
Yet lived experience tells a different story.
The first gap is between existence and usability. Many public toilets stay locked for long hours, becoming mere showpieces. A locked toilet is a visible breach of trust. Others are so poorly maintained with stench, broken doors and no water that people avoid them.
The second gap is accountability. Paid access raises expectations, but responsibilities are unclear, monitoring weak and focus often on attendance, not outcomes. Design flaws like lack of ramps, narrow doors, missing grab bars make “disabled-friendly” toilets unusable and women and the elderly are left overlooked.
Penalising open urination without ensuring a functional alternative nearby risks criminalising necessity rather than improving public health showcasing weak implementation. The focus is often on the number of toilets built rather than usability.
Public behaviour also plays a role. Even where toilets exist, careless usage, vandalism, water wastage and disregard for cleanliness degrade shared facilities. Over time, this erodes respect for public infrastructure.
Governments can build world-class amenities but without basic civic responsibility, such projects deteriorate rapidly. Authorities can enforce rules and deploy staff but they can’t instill conscience. Many choose the convenience of open urination over walking a few extra metres despite knowing the health, hygiene and dignity costs.
So what can be done?
Institutions can begin by designating a dedicated “Sanitation Cell” within municipalities, responsible for planning, location, design, maintenance and signage of public toilets. Every facility should clearly display the name and contact details of the responsible agency or contractor with strict penalties for non-compliance or closure during operational hours. Smart sensors can flag water shortages, blocked drains, severe odour levels and contactless flush.
Digital toilet-locator maps should show nearby facilities, operating hours, payment status and accessibility features. Basic hygiene kits at public toilets containing seat covers, toilet paper, sanitiser, disinfectant and disposal bags can significantly improve user experience.
Citizens also have responsibilities. Open urination should not be normalised where functional toilets exist. Convenience cannot override collective dignity. Markets, RWAs, transport unions and vendors’ associations can act as local oversight bodies, discouraging misuse, reporting failures and escalating maintenance issues through formal channels. Engaging children early through initiatives like Swachh Aadatein helps build lasting sanitation habits. Institutional action sustained by public cooperation is what keeps systems functional.
We rarely think about toilets when they work. That is exactly the point. Good governance is invisible until its absence begins to shape how people move, plan and live. Access to a toilet is not a convenience, it is a basic right to dignity.
Lastly, “शौचालय सुविधा नहीं, सम्मान है।” (“A toilet is not a facility, it is dignity.”).
References
Data, Swachh Bharat Mission: https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1811973®=3&lang=2 https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2052319®=3&lang=2
World Toilet Day 2025; Aspirational Toilets: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2191751®=3&lang=2
Pink Toilet initiative: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/mcd-identifies-14-locations-for-installing-pink-toilets-in-refurbished-abandoned-buses/articleshow/126532386.cms https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1817735®=3&lang=2
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