India

BMC Proposes Fees for Mumbai Public Toilets Amid Rising Maintenance Costs

By Kanishka Singharia

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed charging ₹1 for using public urinals in Mumbai, which are currently free. It also suggests raising the fee for washrooms from ₹2 to ₹5 and for bathing facilities from ₹5 to ₹10, according to the Indian Express. The proposal has been presented to civic group leaders and comes as operators of the city’s 846 public pay‑and‑use toilet complexes face increasing maintenance costs.

Currently, urinals are free, washrooms cost ₹2, and bathing facilities cost ₹5. If approved, the new rates would make urinal use chargeable for the first time. A senior BMC official explained that private agencies and NGOs manage the public toilet complexes built by the BMC and bear the costs of cleaning, repairs, and caretaker salaries. The BMC said the fee increase would help operators cover their growing maintenance expenses, and the additional revenue would remain with the managing agencies.

Alongside the fee revision, the BMC has proposed a policy covering reconstruction, renovation, and repair of existing public toilets, as well as the development of new facilities. The policy would include digital monitoring systems and a mechanism to address public complaints. The revised rates are expected to apply to public pay‑and‑use toilet complexes, while charges at community toilets may not change.

Mumbai has about 8,173 community toilet complexes, of which 3,110 are operated by the BMC. The proposed increase has raised concerns about the affordability of public sanitation facilities, especially for economically weaker sections who rely on them.

Sitaram Shelar, convenor of the citizens’ collective Pani Haq Samiti, said that providing access to sanitation is a fundamental responsibility of municipal authorities. He noted that while water and sanitation are among the most profitable departments of the BMC, operators of public toilets are currently losing money due to commercial charges for electricity and water. He warned that if citizens cannot access sanitation facilities for free, it would be a failure of the municipal government.