Women, children forced to use toilets without doors in Chennai's Vyasarpadi
While the GCC claims that crores of rupees are being spent on maintaining these toilets, a visit to the public toilet in Kalyanapuram, Vyasarpadi, tells the struggle of women forced to use the doorless public toilets.
One of the toilets without door
CHENNAI: Women and children in Vyasarpadi’s Kalyanapuram are forced to use toilets without any doors while someone stands guard, as the Corporation fails to maintain the public restroom despite multiple complaints raised.
While the GCC claims that crores of rupees are being spent on maintaining these toilets, a visit to the public toilet in Kalyanapuram, Vyasarpadi, tells the struggle of women forced to use the doorless public toilets. As residents power through unkempt and smelly toilets, now they require an extra eye to watch when they go about their routine.
Residents rue that someone has to stand guard outside the facility while one uses the toilet, and in desperate times, one has to look out for themselves and hope there are no more visitors.
Jaiganesh LM, a localite, described the ordeal to DT Next, "Around 20 women in the nearby areas use this toilet. There are a total of 12 toilets, and none of them have doors. This is the only public toilet in this stretch. The students from the corporation school nearby also use this toilet. The toilets would be closed around 6 pm due to the tipplers who use the toilet for drinking."
The ghastly interior and exterior of the facility raised multiple alarms when DT Next visited the Kalyanapuram public toilet, even raising the question of whether it could still be called a 'facility.' One of the toilets had a rusty 'half' door awaiting its fall. Despite the sea of red flags, residents are forced to use these toilets as there are no other options.
Jaiganesh noted that toilets in areas like Anna Nagar and Nungambakkam are in better condition than those in north Chennai. "Toilets in Vyasarpadi and its neighbourhoods are totally ignored and not maintained well," he said.
"The residents have used the toilet for more than 40 years. The Tasmac outlet near the toilet only adds to the misery as tipplers have made it a drinking spot," a resident said, requesting anonymity.
Responding to the issue, S Anandhi, the ward 46 councillor, said the process of demolishing the toilet has started and that a new facility will be built soon.
