Free to pee: Women happy, restaurant owners might not be
One of the hard things about being a woman in India is the lack of good public washrooms. For the men, the whole world is a toilet; for the women, it means drinking less water.
So, the latest directive by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, starting May 1, is a reason for cheer. Now, women and children get free access to washrooms in all South Delhi restaurants.
Feeling happy, Prerna Arora, 29, placement coordinator, says, “A few days ago, while shopping in Lajpat Nagar, I went to a restaurant and requested to use their washroom. They refused, saying I couldn’t unless I ordered something. Now, I want to go there again and see how they stop me.”
Valentina Huidrom, 37, a travel consultant and a resident of Dwarka, West Delhi, wants to see this directive applied to the entire city. “I’m pregnant. I need to use the washroom very often,” she says. “Not that anyone stops me, since my bump is evident, but going to a restaurant just for this, without buying anything, makes me feel guilty.”
Restaurant owners say that the extra water and cleaning costs could become steep. “I allow [washroom use] on moral grounds, but for smaller establishments that don’t have so much business, it’s a little unfair to expect them to bear the cost,” says Sumit Goyal from Gastronomica, M Block Market, GK I, adding, “Not all high-end places allow entry to everyone, but after this rule, on the pretext of using the washroom, a guest could demand entry.”
Vipul Gupta, owner, Café Yell, Defence Colony, says, “On the face of it, [the rule] doesn’t look inconvenient. But why can’t they improve the public washrooms, too?”