Some praise, some doubts as restaurants open toilets

Women say move opens up a ‘safer and cleaner’ option for them

OFTEN ENOUGH, Pallavi Thukral would end up buying a sandwich or a cold drink when she would walk into a cafe or a restaurant just to use the washroom. While this would ease the awkwardness, it was also an unnecessary expenditure.

“Imagine spending a few hundreds just to be able to use the loo,” said the 39-year-old, walking around in Defence Colony market on Tuesday — a day after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) enforced an order that makes it mandatory for bars, hotels and restaurants in south Delhi to let women and children use their washrooms for free.

“In my opinion, public bathrooms are unsafe, unhygienic and stinky, which is why I head to the nearest restaurant. But that is usually met with judgmental stares by the staff. This initiative will make our lives easier,” Thukral said.

The SDMC claims the initiative will make an additional 3,500 toilets accessible to the public, with restaurant and bar clusters in Shahpur Jat, Hauz Khas Village, Defence Colony, Greater Kailash I and Saket, among others, falling under this order.

But a day after it was implemented, many people — and establishments — were unaware of it.

When 27-year-old Shruti Verma went to a coffee shop in Hauz Khas Village on Tuesday afternoon, and realised it didn’t have a washroom, she was directed to Smoke House Deli nearby. “I didn’t know about the order, and was hesitant about using the washroom there; I even asked the staff twice. This is a good initiative,” she said.

For staff at Summer House Cafe and Bar, located in the middle of Aurobindo Place market, there was no special briefing on the order. “We’ve always allowed people to use the washroom here; there is no need for you to have a table here for that. This order makes no difference to us,” said manager Dhananjay Tiwari.

At GK-I’S Cafe Culture, manager Jayananda Singh said he was unaware of the order.

“I have no idea about this, but we have never stopped anyone from using the toilet,” he said.

An SDMC official told The Indian Express that they will “put up display boards and speakers in all major markets by the end of this week to let more people know about this initiative”.

Beautician Geeta Marithai, 35, said the order will make life easier for parents with young children. “On many occasions, my child has had to go behind a car or on the road because there are such few public toilets — and the ones that exist are just dirty. For women too, clean toilets should be a priority, especially when we have our periods,” she said.

While many lauded the move, there were some — like 28-year-old Karthika Ganabathy and her friend Neha — who found the initiative problematic. “People in the restaurant business are not social workers; this is not their responsibility. The administration can’t provide hygienic and safe toilets to women, and is shirking responsibility this way,” said Neha, as Ganabathy added, “It’s good if we are in a desperate situation, but the onus shouldn’t be on restaurants.”

And then there are some like Aarti, a 37-year-old domestic help, who said this order is just for the “memsahibs” of the city.

With a pinch of cynicism in her voice, she said, “Main kabhi nahi gayi naa main itni mehengi jagaho pe kabhi jaaungi. Madam ke bina mujhe koi aane nahi dega andar. Sarkaar ko humaare liye bhi saaf toilets banane chahiye (I’ve never been to such expensive places, nor do I plan to. They won’t let me enter without madam. The government should make clean toilets for us as well).”